Traditional carbonara sauce does not require flour as an ingredient. The classic carbonara recipe is made with eggs, cheese, pancetta or bacon, and black pepper. Here's a simple recipe for making carbonara sauce without flour:
Ingredients:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or a mixture of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano)
- 1/2 cup pancetta or bacon, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 1 pound pasta (spaghetti or fettuccine work well)
Instructions:
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and grated cheese until well combined. Set aside.
- Cook the pancetta or bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the cooked pancetta from the pan and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
- In the same skillet, add the minced garlic to the pancetta fat and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta is still hot, add it to the skillet with the garlic and pancetta fat. Toss well to coat the pasta.
- Slowly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta, stirring quickly to evenly coat the strands. The residual heat from the pasta will cook the eggs, creating a creamy sauce.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water and continue stirring until desired consistency is reached.
- Add the cooked pancetta or bacon back to the skillet and toss to distribute it throughout the pasta. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.
- Serve the carbonara immediately while it's still warm. Garnish with extra grated cheese and black pepper if desired.
By following these steps, you can enjoy a delicious carbonara sauce without the need for flour.