How to make perfect spaghetti carbonara

Name: How to make perfect spaghetti carbonara
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 150g (5 ½ oz) sliced pancetta, cut into thin matchsticks; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 200g (2 ¼ cups) freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve; 4 medium (large) egg yolks; 300g (10 ½ oz) spaghetti

Spaghetti carbonara is one of the ultimate pasta recipes everyone should know how to make. In an extract from the River Cafe's new cookbook for children, The River Cafe Look Book, we find out how to do it right

By Ruth Rogers, Sian Wyn Owen and Joseph Trivelli

25 July 2023

Matthew Donaldson

Warm the eggs and Parmesan by adding a spoonful of water from the pasta pot as this will stop them from scrambling.

Next on The River Cafe's cooking list, try their simple cavolo nero rigatoni

Recipe extracted from The River Cafe Look Book: Recipes for Kids of all Ages by Ruth Rogers, Sian Wyn Owen and Joseph Trivelli (Phaidon, £24.95)

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Recipe notes