Photography: Chris Court / Styling: Donna Hay
This irresistible take on carbonara brings a taste of Italy to your kitchen. Donna Hay’s version celebrates extra crunch, flavour and silkiness. Golden pancetta crumbs add a savoury bite, while egg yolks, parmesan and cream melt into a velvety sauce that lovingly coats every strand of spaghetti. Simple steps and quality ingredients come together to create a dish that feels indulgent yet effortless, perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a crowd‑pleasing weekend meal. One forkful, and you’ll understand why this recipe is a keeper.
For more pasta dishes, try this chilli garlic lobster linguine, lamb ragu with pappardelle or spaghetti alla Norma. Head to our interview with Donna to learn more about Australia’s favourite cook.
Ingredients
Method
To make the pancetta crumb, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and breadcrumbs and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring until golden and crisp. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving 1½ cups (375ml) of pasta water. Return the pasta to the pan and place over medium heat.
Working quickly, add the egg yolks, cream, parmesan, 1 cup (250ml) of reserved pasta water, salt and pepper, and stir for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the pasta. Add more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce.
Place the pasta onto serving plates and top with the pancetta crumb. Serve topped with extra parmesan.
“Apologies to all the nonnas, but this is how I carbonara. Extra crunch, extra flavour and extra silkiness, because deliciousness should always win”
Donna Hay
This is an edited extract from ‘Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt’ by Donna Hay, with photography by Chris Court and Con Poulos, published by 4th Estate, $55.
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