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Mary Berry Pasta Carbonara

Mary Berry Pasta Carbonara
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Mary Berry’s spaghetti carbonara is her elegant twist on the classic Roman dish, featured in books like Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect. While traditional carbonara relies on eggs, cheese, guanciale (or pancetta), and black pepper—no cream—she adds double cream for creaminess, chestnut mushrooms for texture, and unsmoked streaky bacon for a milder, British-friendly flavor. The result is a luxurious, velvety sauce that coats the pasta beautifully, with garlicky mushrooms and crispy bacon bits adding savory pops. It’s not “authentic” by Italian standards (some purists debate the cream!), but it’s reliably delicious, beginner-friendly, and perfect for home cooks who love her foolproof style.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 350g spaghetti
  • 200g unsmoked streaky bacon, chopped
  • 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 100g Parmesan cheese, finely grated (plus extra for serving)
  • 150ml double cream
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • A splash of olive oil (if needed for frying)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions (usually 8–10 minutes) until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 200ml of the starchy cooking water—it’s key for the sauce. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  • Fry the bacon and mushrooms. In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp and golden (about 5 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the sliced mushrooms and crushed garlic to the bacon fat (add a drizzle of oil if dry), and sauté until golden and tender (4–5 minutes).
  • Prepare the egg mixture. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with most of the grated Parmesan, a good pinch of black pepper, and a little salt. Stir in the double cream until smooth.
  • Combine everything off the heat. Remove the frying pan from the heat. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the bacon and mushrooms. Pour in the egg-cream mixture and toss quickly using tongs. Add splashes of reserved pasta water gradually until the sauce is creamy and coats the strands silky-smooth (you may not need it all). The residual heat gently cooks the eggs without scrambling.
  • Serve immediately. Divide into bowls, top with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and chopped parsley if using. Enjoy right away for the best texture!

Find it online: https://maryberrycooks.co.uk/mary-berry-pasta-carbonara/