Description
This gluten-free pasta carbonara is a delicious take on the classic Roman favorite, made with just a handful of simple ingredients and a creamy sauce created from eggs and cheese — no cream required. Made with gluten-free fettuccine, crispy pork belly or pancetta, Pecorino Romano, and plenty of black pepper, it stays remarkably close to the traditional recipe while being naturally grain-free when paired with the right pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 package Cappello’s Fettuccine, or your favorite gluten-free or grain-free pasta (even homemade)
- 1 pound (454 g) fresh or cured pork belly, cut into cubes (or pancetta, or good-quality bacon)
- 1 whole pasture-raised egg
- 1 extra egg yolk
- 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Pecorino Toscano, Parmigiano Reggiano, or a combination)
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or more to taste
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- Salt, only if needed (see Notes)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil before you begin cooking the pork belly. If using Cappello’s fettuccine, remember it cooks in only 90 seconds, so you’ll want everything else ready.
- Heat a large frying or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the cubed pork belly and the whole crushed garlic clove. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork belly is browned and crispy and most of the fat has rendered.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the whole egg, the extra yolk, grated cheese, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. If your pork belly is fresh and not cured or salted, season the egg mixture with a little salt. Set aside.
- Once the pork belly is cooked, remove the excess rendered fat, leaving just enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Save the extra fat in a jar for cooking another day. Remove and discard the garlic clove.
- Return the pan with the pork belly to the stove over the lowest possible heat.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. If using Cappello’s fettuccine, boil it for exactly 90 seconds.
- Transfer the cooked pasta directly to the pan with the pork belly, adding a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
- Turn off the heat, or move the pan to a cool surface. Immediately pour in the egg and cheese mixture, add the lemon zest if using, and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated. If needed, add another few tablespoons of the hot pasta water until the sauce becomes silky and creamy.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Traditional Roman carbonara is made with guanciale, but pancetta, good-quality bacon, or pork belly all work well. I usually use fresh pork belly from my local sustainable farm.
Pecorino Romano is the classic cheese for carbonara, but Pecorino Toscano, Parmigiano Reggiano, or a combination of the two are all excellent options.
The key to a creamy carbonara is not cooking the eggs over direct heat. Make sure the pan is off the heat before adding the egg mixture so the residual heat gently cooks the eggs without scrambling them.
One pound of pork belly may sound like a lot, but much of its weight is rendered as fat during cooking. Feel free to use a little less if you prefer—the recipe will still turn out beautifully.
Fresh gluten-free pasta cooks very quickly, so have the sauce completely prepared before adding the pasta to the boiling water.
This recipe makes about 4 small servings, depending on whether it is served as a main course or, in the traditional Italian style, as a smaller pasta course before the main dish.