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Flora Ashbury

Flora's Velvet Carbonara

With only a handful of beautiful ingredients and a few gentle minutes at the stove, you can create a dish that feels wonderfully indulgent — silky, savoury, and deeply satisfying. It’s the sort of pasta that turns an ordinary evening into something quietly special, whether enjoyed curled up at home or shared around the table with friends.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 400 g Spaghetti
Carbonara Sauce
  • 4 large Eggs
  • 100 g Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
  • 50 g Parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper
Heart of the dish
  • 150 g Guanciale
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Sea salt

Method
 

  1. Begin with the guanciale. Dice it into small pieces and place in a skillet over gentle medium-low heat. Allow it to cook slowly for 10–15 minutes, until the fat renders and the edges turn beautifully crisp and golden.
  2. Set the guanciale aside.Lift the crispy pieces from the pan, leaving the fragrant rendered fat behind — this will form the flavourful base of the dish.
  3. Add a whisper of garlic (optional). If using, sauté the garlic briefly in the warm guanciale fat for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from the heat so the flavour stays delicate.
  4. Prepare the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper until smooth and velvety.
  5. Cook the pasta. Bring a generous pot of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until perfectly al dente, usually 8–10 minutes. Before draining, reserve about a cup of the pasta water — this is the secret to a beautifully silky sauce.
  6. Bring everything together. Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the guanciale fat. Remove the pan from the heat, then gently stir in the egg and cheese mixture, allowing the warmth of the pasta to create that classic creamy coating.
  7. Adjust the texture. Add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water, stirring until the sauce becomes glossy and luxuriously smooth.
  8. Finish the dish. Fold the crispy guanciale back through the pasta and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  9. Serve at once. Plate immediately and finish with extra Pecorino Romano and a scattering of golden guanciale for a final touch of indulgence.

Notes

Finish with a gentle scattering of fresh parsley, adding a touch of colour and a light herbal freshness that brightens the richness of the dish.