@morgan: Carbonara is a temperature game. The sauce is an emulsion of egg yolk, pecorino and starchy pasta water, and the whole dish hinges on one number: yolks start thickening around 65°C. Go past it and they scramble. So I control the heat twice. First by tempering the yolks with hot guanciale fat and pasta water to raise their temperature gradually, then by finishing everything in a bowl over a double boiler. Gentle, indirect heat lets you take the sauce right up to that point and hold it there. Full control, pure silk. RECIPE (serves 2) 200g bucatini 100g guanciale, cut into cubes or batons 6 egg yolks 80g pecorino romano, grated, plus extra Loads of freshly cracked black pepper Start the guanciale in a cold pan over medium heat and render until golden and crisp. Set aside, keep the hot fat. Whisk the yolks, pecorino and pepper into a thick paste. Cook the bucatini in well salted water until just shy of al dente. Save a mug of pasta water. Temper the yolks: whisking constantly, slowly stream in the hot guanciale fat, then a splash of hot pasta water. This gently raises their temperature so they won't seize later. Set a large heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Add the bucatini, tempered yolk mix and the crisp guanciale. Toss constantly over the double boiler, loosening with more pasta water as you go, until the sauce is glossy and clings to every strand. If it tightens too fast, lift the bowl off for a few seconds and keep tossing. Serve and top with more pecorino & more pepper. Enjoy.

Morgan Hipworth

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Thursday 30 July 2026 09:30:00 GMT