If you get easily offended, stop reading this very instant. Look away my friend because we’re gonna be saying some real scandalous things.

Now that we’ve got that outta the way let’s talk Carbonara.

What is Carbonara?

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is associated with Roman Cuisine and Guanciale is touted as the star ingredient. Guanciale is the cured cheek of the pig. It very much resembles bacon but it differs in flavour slightly. The high fat ratio makes it richer and more tender than bacon and the spices used during the curing process adds to the overall flavour.

Carbonara Controversy

Some years ago I shared my Ham Carbonara on social media, a post called “Will the real Carbonara please stand up”. It certainly sparked an interesting conversation on the “right way” and the “wrong way” to make a dish.

Sometimes it’s nice to follow an interpretation of “Tradition”, sometimes it’s time to adapt. I think to a certain extent that’s the journey most beloved dishes endure. The accessibility of produce, the geographic location and economic situation of a place all have an impact on the evolution of a dish. Sometimes even political history plays an important role.

Carbonara is a classic example of this.

The origin of Spaghetti Carbonara

There are many theories on who, what, when and where. Let’s briefly touch on the most popular.

The Americans – Some say this dish goes unrecorded before World War 2 and that it was likely influenced by the Americans occupying Italy.  The belief is – at the time, many soldiers were eating rations of eggs and bacon provided by the United States. Perhaps these rations were added to a serving of pasta creating the Carbonara.

Carbonaro – It is suggested that Carbonara is a derivative of the word Carbonaro- the Italian word for Charcoal Burner. One link led to another and some believe 3 variations of this theory:

The first is that it was a hearty meal prepared by coal workers.

The second is that it’s aptly named because the black pepper added to the dish resembles coal residue.

The third is that it’s a tribute to the Carbonari (coal men), a secret society prominent in the unification of Italy during the 19th century.

The fact is no one really knows how Carbonara got its start or its name. One can only speculate and rely on the earliest recorded history of the dish.

The Earliest Record of Carbonara

La Cucina Italiana (food magazine) claims to be one of the first to publish a Carbonara recipe with the ingredients: spaghetti, egg, pancetta, gruyere and garlic in 1954.

“Eating in Italy” a pocket guide to Italian food (1957) by Richard Hammond also contains one of the earliest written descriptions of spaghetti carbonara. Hammond’s Carbonara has sauce made with egg, cheese and bacon, or prosciutto (ham).

In his research Dr Jeremy Parzen, a food historian has identified “Eating in Italy” as the earliest description of Spaghetti Carbonara. Dr Parzen states that Hammond’s account reveals an interesting tidbit: Carbonara was commonly prepared with different types of cured pork (not just bacon or pancetta).

This tidbit might certainly provoke the fanatics.

The fanatics believe (albeit a modern belief) that Carbonara should ONLY and I repeat ONLY be made with guanciale, otherwise it is a defect of a dish. An im-pasta if you will. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, a deviant of a thing that should never touch one’s lips.

Well, based on that, I guess my ham carbonara would go straight to food hell along with Jamie Oliver’s Paella, Gordon Ramsay’s Pegao (Puerto Rican Rice Dish) and Shake Shack’s Gochujang Chick’n Sandwich.

Based on that approach, China should claim all rights to pasta, or is it the Middle East?  Maybe Chef Boyardee is as deserving of Italian recognition as Columbus? …Maybe?

Someone once said to me Fish and Chips would not be considered Fish and Chips if it were made from Salmon.  Isn’t salmon a fish? If it were served with chips wouldn’t it still be …Fish and Chips? The use of Salmon may not be the “popular” choice, but it doesn’t mean it’s wrong or right.

Chances are our ancestors “Traditional” Fish n Chips would have utilized a type of fish that was cost effective and in abundance at the time, simple as that.

In the UK and Ireland, curry sauce is extremely popular. In the future, curry sauce may very well be labelled a “Traditional” condiment for fish and chips.

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The point is, when it pertains to food and dishes that people hold dear the “Tradition” is not the same as “Origin”.

The traditional way of doing something does not mean it was the original way. The “Traditional way” may be influenced by time, trends, interpretation, and other factors. It’s a slowly evolving way.  It’s just the way that it is.  

Two grandmothers from the same town may make the same dish according to their family’s Tradition. This dish may be prepared in different ways. Would we define one as right and one as wrong?

While no one knows the proper origin of Carbonara, nor the original way it was made, the written evidence shows no use of guanciale. It shows the use of ham.

So….