by InTrieste
One of Italy’s most iconic dishes, spaghetti alla carbonara, was celebrated across the globe on Sunday, April 6, with the ninth edition of Carbonara Day. What began as a humble Roman specialty has grown into an international phenomenon, complete with online events, culinary tributes, and debates so fierce they border on theological.
First published in Italy in 1954 by La Cucina Italiana magazine, the now-famous recipe—originally including garlic, Gruyère cheese, and pancetta—has since undergone decades of evolution and reinterpretation. But for purists, five ingredients remain sacred: pasta, guanciale, pecorino romano, eggs, and black pepper.
Organized by the Italian Food Union and the International Pasta Organisation since 2017, Carbonara Day has become the world’s largest “spaghetti social,” with more than a million #CarbonaraDay posts lighting up social media last year alone. This year’s celebration kicks off at noon, with chefs and home cooks alike sharing recipes, photos, and tips in a digital love letter to the dish.
Yet as carbonara’s fame grows, so does its notoriety.
Internationally, there is an ever-increasing amount of variations to the classic dish, to the consternation of Italians who insist that any deviation from the original recipe means it simply cannot be called carbonara. In 2020, Romans reeled in horror at celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s “nightmare carbonara,” while in 2021, The New York Times itself caused a culinary uproar in Italy with its Smoky Tomato Carbonara recipe. The backlash was swift and unrelenting.
In 2023, in an effort to safeguard its culinary heritage, the Italian government submitted a bid to have Italy’s cuisine included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage—carbonara front and center in the case for preservation.
But where did this dish actually come from? The answer, much like the sauce itself, is a little opaque.
Some trace carbonara’s roots to the coal workers—carbonari—of the Lazio and Abruzzo regions, with the black pepper evoking specks of coal dust. Others argue the dish was born during World War II, when American troops in Rome added army rations of bacon and powdered eggs to pasta.
A timeline of carbonara’s documented history offers intriguing clues:
- 1950: The first known mention appears in La Stampa, citing a Trastevere trattoria and Pope Pius XII as part of the backstory.
- 1951: In the film Cameriera bella presenza offresi, actor Aldo Fabrizi asks if anyone can cook carbonara. The answer? No.
- 1952: A recipe appears in a Chicago food guide, while actor Gregory Peck discovers the dish while filming Roman Holiday.
- 1954: La Cucina Italiana publishes its own version—one that helps introduce the dish to American audiences via The New York Times and the Italian tourism board.
- 1960: Culinary giant Luigi Carnacina includes cream in his carbonara—a choice now considered sacrilege.
- 1966: The modern recipe takes form in Il grande libro di cucina by Carlo Santi and Rosino Brera, which replaces pancetta with guanciale and omits garlic and cream entirely.
Over time, carbonara has come to symbolize both the richness of Italian tradition and the tensions of culinary globalization. Food historians such as Luca Cesari and Alberto Grandi have argued that carbonara is, in many ways, “an American dish born in Italy,” drawing from cross-cultural influences that defy purist interpretation. The notion continues to ruffle feathers.
For those seeking the “real” carbonara in Rome, several institutions carry the torch. Top picks include Flavio al Velavevodetto in Testaccio, Armando al Pantheon in the historic center, Tanto Pè Magnà in Garbatella, Da Enzo al 29 and Eggs in Trastevere, and Da Danilo in Esquilino.
Still, for many, the best carbonara is the one made at home. And with Carbonara Day just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to try.
Here is our recipe, in English:
Ingredients (for 4 people):
- 400g spaghetti or rigatoni
- 150g guanciale, diced
- 4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
- 100g grated pecorino romano
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.
- In the meantime, cook the guanciale in a pan over medium heat until crispy.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, pecorino, and a generous amount of black pepper.
- Drain the pasta and mix it with the guanciale, removing the pan from heat.
- Add the egg mixture and stir vigorously until creamy (no direct heat—residual heat is enough to cook the eggs without scrambling).
- Serve immediately with extra pecorino and pepper.
Call it Roman, call it American, call it controversial—but on April 6, the world simply called it delicious.
