The Complex History of the Simple Carbonara

Carbonara and its Origin Stories.

Carbonara is one of the world’s most iconic pasta dishes. It is a seemingly simple, yet there is so much debate as to what is the truest and most authentic recipe. And perhaps that is a result of its confusing history and numerous origin stories.

What Makes the Dish

Carbonara is essentially made of eggs, cured pork, grated cheese, and black pepper tossed together with pasta. A great carbonara consists of quality free-range eggs, good pecorino or parmigiana, and great quality pancetta or guanciale. The sauce must not be dry, nor runny and raw – it must be perfectly blended and emulsified together to beautifully create a creaminess incorporating all the flavors.

From Italy to America and to the rest of the world, there is an on-going debate about what makes an authentic carbonara. Is it really just these 4 ingredients? Cream or no cream? (Definite no cream.) Garlic or no garlic? Pancetta, guanciale, or bacon? Pecorino, parmigiana, or parmesan?

As much as the authenticity is debated, the history of carbonara is perhaps even more confusing and unresolved.

The Histories of Carbonara

Theory #1: Carbonara, meaning “In the Manner of Coal Miners”

Carbonara literally translates to “in the manner of coal miners.” With that said, some food historians can’t help but credit coal miners or a secret society of charcoal burners named “Carbonari” who helped unify Italy in the early 1800s. Their dish could have been conceived using easy-to-find and affordable ingredients such as pepper and lard. Plus, the flecks of black peppering on the pasta resembles coal dust.

Theory #2: Written Clues from Neapolitan Cookbook Authors

For written evidence, food historians have found influential clues from Ippolito Cavalcanti, a 19th-century Neapolitan cookbook author who included recipes with beaten eggs, cheese, and pepper. However, the recipe had yet to incorporate pasta.

Theory #3: Same Restaurant Name

Then there’s a famous restaurant in Rome which opened in 1912 with the name La Carbonara and owned by a coal seller. So naturally, clues can point to this restaurant; however, the owners officially claim to have not invented the pasta.

Theory #4: Post-War American Influence

The most discussed history of carbonara is not quite centuries old. Rather, it points to the 1940s after the war when the Allies ousted German forces out of Italy. In this origin theory, the pasta was influenced and popularized by American soldiers who distributed military rations to Italians including bacon and powdered eggs which birthed the creation of carbonara.

Over the next decades, the “authentic” recipe for carbonara changed and changed. The pasta popularized in 1950s American pop culture with films and recipe books featuring carbonara – and at this point added garlic to the mix. A few decades later in the 1980s, recipes specified using guanciale, heavy cream, spices, and herbs. Then a decade later, the 90s called for simplification to just using egg yolks, pecorino cheese, guanciale, and black pepper.

Theory #5: Claim to Fame

In recent years, a man from Bologna in his 90s has actually claimed to have been the true inventor of carbonara. Renato Gualandi, one of the most influential chefs and restaurant owners in post-war Italy, was tasked to feed the Allied troops’ celebration banquet in Rivera Romagnola in 1944.

Using only what was available in town, he created a new dish bringing together culinary inspiration from Italy and Anglo-Saxon cuisines. This pasta included bacon, cream, processed cheese, dried egg yolk, and topped with a sprinkle of ground pepper

With all these theories, there is no one true defined origin for carbonara. In any case, facts point to the global popularization after World War II and how Italian refined this simple dish to become deliciously iconic.