Creamy Italian Carbonara with Sausage

Fill a large pasta pot with water and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. This will take about 8-10 minutes, so start this first while you prep other ingredients. The water should be well-salted – it should taste like seawater.

While water heats, crack 3-4 eggs into a bowl and whisk until smooth. Grate about 1 cup of Parmesan cheese using a microplane grater – freshly grated melts much better than pre-grated. Cut Italian sausage and ham into bite-sized pieces. Have minced parsley and butter ready. Get everything organized before you start cooking.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and ham pieces, breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned and the ham develops crispy edges. You want golden-brown caramelization – this adds crucial flavor.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked meat to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Don’t worry about getting every piece – a few bits left behind will add flavor. Keep the pan with the fat nearby and turn heat to low. Set the plate of meat aside but keep it close.

Your water should be boiling by now. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining – you might need it for the sauce.

Quickly drain the pasta and immediately add it to the skillet with the rendered fat (or return the meat to the pan with pasta). Add the cooked meat back, plus the butter and minced parsley. Toss everything together using pasta tongs. Work quickly while the pasta is steaming hot.

This is the crucial step: Remove the pan from heat completely. Working very quickly, pour the beaten eggs over the hot pasta while tossing continuously with tongs. The residual heat will gently cook the eggs, creating a creamy sauce. Keep tossing for 30-45 seconds until eggs coat every strand.

Still off the heat, add the grated Parmesan cheese and several grinds of black pepper. Continue tossing with tongs, adding the cheese gradually while mixing. The cheese will melt from residual heat and combine with the eggs to create the signature carbonara cream sauce. Add pasta water if needed to loosen.

Give everything a final thorough toss with your tongs, making sure every strand is coated in creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more black pepper or cheese if needed. The sauce should be silky and coat the pasta beautifully without being thick or separated.

Immediately divide the carbonara between warmed serving bowls or plates. Top each portion with additional grated Parmesan cheese and a final crack of black pepper. Serve immediately while hot – carbonara waits for no one! The contrast between the creamy sauce and hot pasta should be perfect.