Gnocchi alla carbonara: the recipe for a creamy and tasty starter

The gnocchi carbonara they are an original but equally tasty variant of the classic carbonara. The first course of the Roman tradition, usually prepared with spaghetti or mezzemaniche, is revisited with a few Potato dumplingswhile the sauce remains faithful to tradition: a yolk-based cream, pecorino e grandpawhose flavor is made even more intense by the crunchy and tasty touch of golden bacon.

Preparing them with our procedure is really simple and quick: first we cut the bacon into cubes and fry it for a few minutes in a pan; prepare the pot to cook the gnocchi (you can choose to make the gnocchi with potatoes or those without potatoes at home, or buy them ready-made at the supermarket); then we create a cream with beaten egg yolks and pecorino and lower the gnocchi; when they are ready, mix them with the cream of egg yolks, complete with more pecorino cheese, lots of pepper and the bacon previously fried in a pan. The result will be an enveloping, tasty and substantial starter, excellent to serve for a sunday lunch with family or for a cena with friends.

Learn how to make gnocchetti carbonara and also try risotto carbonara and baked carbonara.

How to make carbonara gnocchi

To prepare the gnocchi alla carbonara, start by cutting the bacon: place it on a cutting board, remove the part close to the rind and cut it into cubes 1.

Heat a frying pan without adding condiments and, when it is very hot, add the bacon bits and let them brown for a few minutes: they will be ready when the fat becomes transparent 2. You won’t need any oil to fry it, as guanciale is particularly oily.

At this point prepare a large pot with water and wait for it to boil 3.

Meanwhile, prepare the typical carbonara vinaigrette: grate the pecorino with a narrow-hole grater 4.

Crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Season the egg yolks with a pinch of salt 5 and add half the dose of grated pecorino, mixing everything well.

Drop the gnocchi into boiling water, being careful not to add too much salt. They will be ready when they float to the surface: they will take a few minutes to cook 6.

Drain the gnocchetti, put them in a bowl and add the egg and cheese sauce. Mix well with a spatula or a spoon until the gnocchi are well seasoned and gradually add the gnocchi cooking water to make the sauce even creamier 7.

Add the golden guanciale and the remaining grated pecorino to the gnocchi, mixing them well with the rest of the sauce. Finally, finish with a generous dusting of black pepper 8.

The gnocchi alla carbonara are ready to be served and tasted 9.

Advice

For the sauce on the eggs and the pecorino cheese and for the water of the gnocchetti, we advise you not to add too much salt: the guanciale, in fact, will give more flavor to the dish. If you prefer a more delicate taste, you can replace the bacon with the pancetta and add the mixture of eggs and pecorino with a little cooking cream. Then, so as not to throw away the egg white, you can also use the whole egg: the taste will always be full-bodied and excellent.

Gnocchi alla carbonara are an excellent starting point to vary traditional dishes in a creative and quick way. For example, try replacing pasta with gnocchi and use the classic amatriciana sauce, zucchini carbonara or seafood carbonara: you will get unusual but tasty combinations.

storage

We recommend consuming the gnocchi alla carbonara immediately, because once heated they would completely change their taste and the cream would dry out too much. However, if you have any left, you can keep them in the refrigerator through One day maximum, closed in an airtight container. When ready to serve, heat them in a saucepan with a little hot water to create a tasty cream.