Try this super creamy Gnocchi Carbonara to experience the flavors of authentic Pasta Alla Garbonara, except with potato gnocchi!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time5 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 569kcal
Author: Svi
Ingredients
20ozpotato gnocchi, about 500-600 grams
½cupdiced guanciale, about 125 g
5eggs yolks
¼cupgrated Pecorino cheese, 60 grams + more for serving
¼cupgrated Parmesan cheese, 60 grams + plus more for serving
2teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper(ground medium-coarse), plus more for serving
Salt to taste
Instructions
Fry Guanciale
Put a non-stick pan on medium heat. Once it is hot (after about 2 min), add the guanciale and render it until it passes first from translucent then to crispy consistency. It should be well browned but not burned.
½ cup diced guanciale
Turn off the heat. Remove guanciale pieces and place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. Save the liquid (fat) from the pan. Filter it if desired.
Prepare The Sauce
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is warming prepare the egg/cheese mix (the sauce).
Take a large stainless steel bowl, large enough to fit both gnocchi and the sauce.NOTE: Once all ingredients for the sauce are mixed, will put the bowl over the pot with boiling water, creating water-bath (also known as bain-marie). This why it's important the bowl fits the size of your pot with water.
Place all the egg yolks, the liquid fat from guanciale (make sure it is warm but not hot otherwise it will cook the eggs) into the bowl. Mix with a whisk. Then add both cheeses and the ground pepper and keep mixing.
5 eggs yolks, ¼ cup grated Pecorino cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
At this point you will need some hot water from the pot. Use a spoon and add water to the mixture little by little, (approx. 3-4 tablespoon in total) and keep mixing just until the sauce thickens and gets smoother and soft.
Place the bowl on top of the pot with water (while it is still reaching boiling temperature) so the heat from the bottom will help the eggs reach 150°F (65C) and finalize the texture of the sauce in about 2 min.IMPORTANT: Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. If it does, remove excess water.
Remove the bowl before it gets too hot otherwise the egg sauce will scramble and you’ll loose the creaminess.
Cook Gnocchi
Once the water reaches the boiling temperature, add about ½ tablespoon of salt (we keep the salt low here because all the rest is very salty) and pour the gnocchi in it. Once gnocchi come afloat, remove them from the water with a sieve or a colander and put directly into the bowl with the sauce.
20 oz potato gnocchi, Salt to taste
Mix Gnocchi With The Sauce & Assemble The Plate
Gently mix gnocchi into the sauce and add more hot water from the pot if needed.
Serve in a plate topped with guanciale, sprinkle extra cheese directly on top and pepper to taste.