Gnocchi Carbonara

Method7 steps · about 13 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with cooking-water salt. Start with ready potato gnocchi; complete any homemade dough preparation separately.

   Uses Water, enough to boil the gnocchi; reserve 2–3 tbsp starchy cooking water · Salt, as needed to season the gnocchi cooking water

2. 2

   Step 2: Trim the dark seasoned skin from the guanciale (100 g) if needed and cut it into small pieces. Fry in a large skillet until golden and crisp, retaining the rendered fat. Turn off the skillet heat. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water; once the water is starchy, scoop 2–3 tbsp into a cup while the gnocchi finish cooking.

   Uses 100 g guanciale, dark seasoned skin trimmed off, cut into small pieces · boiling salted cooking water · 500 g ready potato gnocchi, uncooked

3. 3

   Step 3: Meanwhile, mix the two yolks, 30 g grated Pecorino and ½ tsp sauce pepper in a bowl to form a thick paste.

   Uses 2 medium egg yolks · 30 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated · ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper for sauce

4. 4

   Step 4: Gradually stir the reserved 2–3 tbsp hot starchy gnocchi water into the yolk-cheese paste to loosen and emulsify it.

   Uses Reserved 2–3 tbsp starchy gnocchi water · yolk-Pecorino-pepper paste

5. 5

   Step 5: When the gnocchi float and are cooked through according to their packet, lift them out with a slotted spoon and add to the off-heat skillet with the crisp guanciale and its rendered fat. Toss to coat.

   Uses gnocchi cooking in the pot · crisp guanciale and retained rendered fat

6. 6

   Step 6: Keep the skillet off the heat. Pour in the loosened yolk mixture and toss promptly until the gnocchi are coated and the sauce thickens gently from residual heat. Avoid reheating the pan hard, which would scramble the yolks.

   Uses hot gnocchi coated in guanciale fat · loosened yolk-Pecorino mixture

7. 7

   Step 7: Serve immediately in two generous or three smaller portions, with extra pepper and grated cheese if desired. The source recommends eating this freshly made rather than reheating the sauce.

   Uses finished gnocchi carbonara · Extra freshly ground black pepper, as desired for serving · Extra finely grated Pecorino Romano, as desired for serving