When we talk about Italian cuisine, we immediately think of the famous carbonara sauce. This typical sauce made from eggs, cheese and pancetta is traditionally served with pasta. But what pasta should we choose for the perfect match between the sauce and the pasta? In this article, we will discover the three best types of pasta that pair ideally with authentic carbonara.
Spaghetti: an timeless classic
Essential in Italian cuisine, spaghetti is without a doubt one of the first choices of pasta that everyone can associate with carbonara sauce. These long cylindrical pastas provide an excellent surface for the sauce to delicately bind around each strand. The soft and pleasant mouthfeel offers an interesting contrast with the creamy and salty flavor of the sauce.
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Why choose spaghetti?
The main advantage of spaghetti lies in its availability on the market. Indeed, you can easily find this variety of pasta in the pasta aisle of your regular supermarket. Moreover, thanks to their popular and recognized cousin, spaghetti has been adapted into numerous recipes and cuisines around the world. Thus, you can even use spaghetti in place of other pastas if you want to try new flavors and textures.
Tagliatelle: a generous surface to hold the sauce
If you’re looking for a more original option than the classic spaghetti, do not hesitate to opt for tagliatelle. Similar to fettuccines, tagliatelle are long and flat. Their wide surface allows the sauce to coat their entire length, ensuring a uniform distribution of flavors with each bite.
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How to prepare tagliatelle?
To properly cook tagliatelle with carbonara sauce, it is advised to follow a few simple steps that ensure a good combination. First of all, avoid overcooking the pasta. They should remain slightly firm to the tooth (al dente) so as not to disintegrate in the sauce. Once cooked, drain them and put them immediately back in the pan with the cooked pancetta and don’t forget to save some of the cooking water. This will create a strong link between the pasta and the sauce. Finally, quickly add the mixture of beaten eggs and cheese to finish the dish. You will thus obtain a creamy and tasty carbonara.
Rigatoni: tubes for even more flavors
If you want to give your carbonara a new dimension, choose rigatoni. These are rigid tubes of pasta that can contain the sauce inside. Their shape also allows for generously coating each piece of pasta with sauce.
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What are the benefits of rigatoni?
Using rigatoni has several advantages. Firstly, their large diameter better retains the sauce and increases the creamy sensation in the mouth. Next, they offer an excellent balance between melt-in-the-mouth and crunchiness, as the sauce is distributed inside while maintaining a certain thickness when cooked “al dente”. Finally, their robust texture and firmness allow them to withstand handling without breaking or losing their original shape.
In conclusion, there is no single and universal choice for the pasta to pair with carbonara sauce. Spaghetti, tagliatelle, and rigatoni are three popular options, each with their own unique characteristics and advantages. So, for a delicious, authentic carbonara, don’t hesitate to experiment and choose the pasta variety that best suits your tastes and preferences.