© Emilie Franzo
Craving the true taste of southern cuisine? In À la table de la Bonne Mère, Mahéva Angelmann takes us on a journey between Provence and Italy with her recipes that delight everyone at the table. A true Marseillaise, Mahéva ran the legendary Bonne Mère pizzeria with her husband, located at the base of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, before opening her restaurant in Cassis. Today, as a beloved figure of Marseille, she shares her best recipes, with a special mention for her carbonara alla romana! It’s a dish she gladly leaves in the expert hands of her husband (according to her, he’s the true maestro). Her secret? High-quality guanciale.
Ingredients to Shop For
For 2 people
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
- 200g pasta (spaghetti, bucatini, paccheri, or maccheroni)
- 130g guanciale (pork jowl) cut into pieces
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 60g grated pecorino romano
- 45g parmesan
- 7g ground black pepper
- Zest of ½ an untreated lemon
The Recipe
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, prepare the carbonara sauce.
In a skillet, lightly toast the crushed black pepper, then set aside. In the same skillet, cook the guanciale over medium heat until golden and crispy. Remove from heat and set aside a few pieces of guanciale on paper towels for the final garnish on the plates.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and whole egg with the grated pecorino romano, parmesan, and crushed black pepper. Make sure the mixture is well blended. Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to drain it directly (not with a colander, like in Italy), reserving a ladleful of the cooking water.
Add the drained pasta and guanciale to the skillet, stirring well to coat them in the cooking fat.
Remove the skillet from the heat and immediately add the egg and cheese mixture to the hot pasta. Mix quickly to coat the pasta with the sauce, being careful to do this off the heat to avoid cooking the eggs into scrambled eggs.
Add a small ladle of the reserved pasta water and mix well to achieve a smooth sauce, adding more cooking water if needed.
Serve immediately with a few pieces of guanciale on the side of the plate for decoration. And for the final touch, a tip from my husband: sprinkle a bit of lemon zest on the pasta to surprise the palate and add a burst of freshness.
Also discover Julius Roberts' Upside-Down Pear and Walnut Cake and The delicious recipe for crystal shrimp dumplings.
