Cream Cheese Carbonara
So, maybe this is not authentic Carbonara, but boy is it easy and tasty. A foolproof version of the orginal Carbonara.
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
• 3 ounces (85 grams) guanciale or pancetta, chopped
- You can use bacon if you do not have guanciale or pancetta
• Salt (for pasta water)
• 5 ½ ounces (155 grams) long pasta
- You can use any long pasta to include bucatini, fettuccine, spaghetti, etc.
• 6 ounces (170 grams) low-fat cream cheese (or regular cream cheese; see notes)
• A pinch saffron
• 1 ounce (30 grams) grated Pecorino Romano cheese, or to taste
• Fresh black pepper (to taste)
• Optional: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (only if using pancetta)
Directions
○ Bring water to a rolling boil. Salt generously.
○ Cook the spaghetti. Add spaghetti and set a timer for 2–3 minutes less than the package’s recommended al dente time.
○ Crisp the guanciale. While the pasta cooks, sauté the chopped guanciale in a large pan over medium heat until browned and slightly crispy. If using pancetta, sauté in the olive oil.
○ Make the saffron cream cheese sauce. Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Dissolve the saffron in about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water and add it to the cream cheese. Stir until smooth and creamy. Stir in the grated Pecorino Romano and plenty of black pepper.
○ Finish the pasta in the pan. When the pasta is ready, use tongs or a spaghetti fork to transfer it directly into the pan with the guanciale. Stir over medium–high heat, adding pasta water as needed to keep the pan slightly simmering and to maintain moisture, until the pasta reaches your preferred al dente texture.
○ Combine with the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese sauce until evenly coated.
○ Serve immediately. Finish with extra Pecorino and black pepper if desired.
Notes
• If using pancetta, add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the pan for sautéing.
• If using regular (full-fat) cream cheese, you may need to increase the amount of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
• The saffron provides the dish’s bright yellow color; adjust the pinch to taste.