On the occasion of the 90 years of La Cucina Italiana, we browse through our very personal "album of memories". Among the magazines of the 50s there is a special number, why? There we wrote our first carbonara recipe (and it's not exactly how we make it today)
There bacon and egg it is one of those dishes that it is impossible not to love. As always, the simplest dishes, those of tradition, are the most discussed: there are those who do not admit reinterpretations and those who rather like to propose them in infinite variations. Experimenting with this recipe is fun, we have done it over the years (many recipes are waiting for you, from classic carbonara to alternative and creative versions).
Today everyone talks about it, especially about the rules essential to respect to prepare it correctly:
1. The bacon is not allowed, the must be used pig cheek;
2. It is preferable to use only i yolks some eggs;
3. It must be grated exclusively pecorino cheese;
4. Additions such as cream, garlic or onion are prohibited.
Although his origins are not clear (some hypothesize that his birth is linked to the Apennine charcoal burners, others attribute it to American soldiers who arrived during the Second World War), the earliest traces of the carbonara are found around the 40s.
Even La Cucina Italiana brought back a primordial recipe, for the first time on the number of August of 1954. It's about a classic carbonara, but with a slightly different ingredient list. Even the procedure does not completely respect the modern rules of perfect carbonara: the pasta is seasoned directly in the pan, while it would be correct to combine it with the eggs with the heat off.
Even if there is much discussion today about how to prepare carbonara, it is not a codified recipe. Over time, palates discover new needs and cooking techniques evolve: this is how we arrived at the recipe that we now consider canonical. In the 50s, however, it was still a recipe young, which we prepared for you for the very first time in 1954. Look below for the complete recipe and don't miss all our other best carbonas.
Spaghetti alla carbonara from 1954
Ingredients for 4 people
400 g Spaghetti
150 g Bacon
100 g Gruviera
2 eggs
1 clove of garlic
salt
pepper
Method
Heat salted water. Chop the pancetta and cut the Gruyère into small cubes. When the water boils, add the spaghetti, stir and cook for about 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the spaghetti) and drain well: remember that spaghetti is better if served rather al dente. Pour whole eggs into a bowl, beat them with a fork as if it were an omelette. Put the pancetta and the crushed garlic (which will then be removed) in a large pan and let it fry, add the spaghetti, the eggs, the gruyère and plenty of pepper. Stir well, continuing until the eggs have thickened a little. Then pour the spaghetti onto the serving dish and serve immediately.
This recipe has already been read 235 times!