Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Barilla. All opinions and recipes are my own.
Happy Carbonara Day! Carbonara is one of my all-time favorite pastas because it’s so easy to make, yet packed full of flavor. The fact that it has its own day just makes it all better. Carbonara Day is on April 6th and I am here for it. There’s no better way to show someone how much they mean to you by cooking up a delicious plate of carbonara. You might even call it CAREbonara ? Carbonara is just-cooked pasta tossed with eggs, cheese, and crisp pancetta which makes for a flavorful, creamy-cheesy sauce. You may see this dish sometimes with peas, but today we are going full-on classic with Barilla’s Spaghetti Rigati.
Who Will you be Cooking For?
For Italians, food is incredibly bonding and is used to mark the moments in life, both big and small. In Italy, good food represents good moments and good memories. And nothing says ‘I love you’ like preparing someone a delicious meal. So have a think about who you are going to cook your carbonara for. Approach Carbonara Day as the Italians would…make an occasion out of it!
How Much Salt is Enough?
When cooking pasta, I always say make the water salty enough. It really takes a good amount of salt for it to get through to the pasta to season it. For every quart of water, I add about a tablespoon of kosher salt. For this recipe, I would cut the salt in half as the pancetta is pretty salty, so that is where we are getting our salt here.
Which Pasta to Use?
I’m using Barilla’s Spaghetti Rigati as this is an authentic Italian brand. Not only was this brand founded in Italy in 1877, but it is also the number one brand in the country to this day, and it is even still owned by the Barilla family. I’d say you can’t get much more authentically Italian than that! It cooks beautifully and really allows you to get that al dente, perfect texture, and taste.
And a Wine Pairing?
Depending on who you are making pasta for this Carbonara Day, you might want to get a lovely wine to pair the meal with. There are lots of amazing Italian wines available, but for this carbonara recipe, I recommend pairing with a delicious Pinot Grigio.
Check it out!
So, ok guys! If you make this Barilla Carbonara, please leave a comment and additionally give this recipe a share! And particularly do it on Carbonara Day, April 6th, with the hashtag #CarbonaraDay or #CAREbonara. I love to hear from all of you, and I surely always do my best to respond to your comments. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or TikTok! Because I like to look through and see your creations. Post to Instagram stories too so I can easily share with my fans!
Looking for a good side salad to serve alongside this great Italian dish? Check out my Italian Chopped Salad.
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Pasta Carbonara Day
Carbonara is one of my all-time favorite pasta to make because it’s so easy to make, yet packed full of flavor. The fact that it has its own day just makes it all better. Pasta carbonara day is on April 6th and I am here for it.
Ingredients
5oz pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
12 ounces Barilla Spaghetti Rigati , (other Barilla long cuts like their Blue Box Thick Spaghetti also work if Spaghetti Rigati is unavailable)
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
You can find a shop for all the ingredients here
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the pancetta until crisp, about 8 -10 minutes. Remove and place cooked pancetta on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt. Drop the pasta and cook according to package directions, less than 1 minute for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk eggs, both kinds of cheese, pancetta, and black pepper.
- Drain the pasta and add to the egg cheese mixture tossing along with 1/2 of the pasta water. Add more water if you want a creamier pasta. Serve with extra cheese and pepper if desired.
wish I could have your recipe that you show on facebook that uses boursin, cherry tomatoes, etc