Chef Nick Anderer Shows NYTable How to Make Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Maialino’s carbonara recipe has changed several times in the four-plus years since its doors opened. While the ingredients  of the classic Roman dish have remained the same – guanciale (pig jowl), black pepper, pasta, grated pecorino cheese and raw beaten egg – sourcing, according to Executive Chef Nick Anderer, has made all the difference. He found a guanciale with black pepper crusted on the skin which has a better flavor and texture than its predecessor, discovered the perfect black peppercorns at a local Manhattan shop, and switched to Mancini dried pasta. One thing is for certain; Maialino will never use cream in its carbonara. The latest rendition has lasted for over a year, and, while Anderer has never heard a complaint, he says, “The onus remains on us. I’d like to say we’ve nailed it — but like anything we do, we are always open to making it better.”

Ingredients:
2 – 2 1/2 oz guanciale, cut into large lardons
Black pepper, preferably whole peppercorns in a grater
4 oz pasta, Maialino uses dry spaghetti
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated pecorino cheese
1 and 1/2 eggs, beaten

It’s all about timing, technique and attention to detail with carbonara.

Photos: Amanda Burrill.

Amanda Burrill