Ask anyone, and they will tell you that pasta carbonara is one of the easiest pasta dishes to make. What they won’t tell is just how it is also easy to ruin it. To make a perfect carbonara, you need to be careful with the cooking technique, the selection of ingredients, and the way you use them. It is often enough to make one wrong move and end up a disappointing meal.
If you want to make sure you cook perfect carbonara each time, pay attention to details and make sure to avoid the following mistakes.
Using Cold Eggs
If you use the eggs straight out of the fridge, you will probably end up with a lumpy sauce texture. To get the perfect creamy result, always take out the eggs ahead of time to allow them to reach room temperature.
Not Paying Attention to Egg White:Egg Yolk Ratio
When making a small batch of carbonara, using a whole egg is okay. But if you are making a bigger batch, having too much egg white will ruin the dish. If you need more than one whole egg, add only egg yolks and leave out the egg white.
Not Mixing Well Enough
When you combine eggs and cheese, make sure you whisk them to a uniform texture. This is important because of the way the mixture binds all other ingredients.
Introducing Sauce Over Heat
Never pour the egg mixture onto your pasta while it’s still on the stove. This will overcook the eggs and won’t get you that creaminess you want. Instead, take off the heat and then introduce sauce while moving the pasta. The residual heat will cook the sauce to perfection.
