How to Make Carbonara Pizza
Carbonara Pizza takes two of my all-time favourite dishes and combines them into one. There is absolutely nothing better than a perfectly cooked pizza dough topped with creamy carbonara sauce, rich guanciale and cheese – lots of cheese! This recipe is a little different to what I would typically add to a pizza, but it’s been kept authentic and is a must-try. Do not let your tastebuds miss out on this Carbonara pizza recipe, it is an experience.
Watch the Carbonara Pizza video recipe here:
How To Make CARBONARA PIZZA Like an Italian
Vincenzo’s Top Tips To Make Carbonara Pizza
First Things First
If you haven’t already checked out my recipe for perfect Italian pizza dough, start there! You need the perfect base for this amazing pizza carbonara. Next, prepare your oven. If you’re using a domestic oven, turn the temperature as high as it will go. Hopefully, you have a pizza stone, but if you don’t, you can use baking paper. I personally use a gas oven and set it to 400 degrees
Celsius. This is the same temperature you’ll want to set a wood fire oven to. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to dive in.
Don’t Skip the Guanciale
Guanciale is critical to this dish, although you can substitute for pancetta if you’re really in a bind. Absolutely do not try to cheat by using bacon! It isn’t the same thing, and it won’t be as flavorful. Prepare the Guanciale by cutting off the skin. Next, toss it in your frying pan and cook it at medium-low. You want to be gentle. You don’t need to use oil because the fat will become
oil, but if you like, you can add extra virgin olive oil for some extra flavor. Make sure the Guanciale is cooked well because it’s not going in the oven. It should be nice and crispy. Put it aside and save the oil produced by the fat – we will use it later.
Use Plenty of Cheese in your Carbonara Sauce
To make your Carbonara sauce, you’re going to need to separate two egg yolks. If you like, you can save the egg whites and use them to make amaretti biscuits for later. Your third egg will be used in its entirety. Whisk the eggs with a fork and add a generous amount of pepper. Continue to mix this as you add Pecorino Romano cheese. You’re going to want to be very generous with the cheese. The carbonara sauce should be thicker and creamier than traditional carbonara because we don’t want it to remain as a liquid, it needs to cook through. Don’t be afraid of the cheese – we’re making pizza, after all!
Use Quality Mozzarella
You know what you’ll never find in my house? Shredded mozzarella. If you want to make food like an Italian and enjoy truly authentic food, you need to start with quality ingredients. Shredded mozzarella is a plastic food. I use mozzarella that came all the way from Naples. A good measure of quality is the milk that you see in the cheese as you cut it.
Prepare your Pizza base
Now it’s time to prepare the dough of your pizza carbonara. I like to spread flour on a wood board and put the dough on the flour. Press and turn the dough. You’re going to want to press your fingers around the corner of the dough, leaving the edges. It should stretch easily. If you need a refresher, go watch my video on making pizza dough. Use your extra virgin olive oil around the edges, and then add some to the middle. Sprinkle a nice amount of Pecorino Romano cheese in the middle before adding part of the mozzarella. You’ll notice the difference in the flavor and texture of your dough.
Partially Bake the Dough
Once the dough is prepped, we’re going to cook it partially. This part requires a lot of attention. If you’re using a domestic oven, the process will take about 3 minutes, but if you’re using a gas or wood stove, it will only take 45 seconds. What we want is for the dough to begin to puff. Use a pizza peel to pick up the dough and quickly transfer it into the oven, so it doesn’t get stuck. Stay watchful of your pizza and pull it out as soon as the edges puff up.
The Final Touch!
The edges of your pizza are puffed, so it’s the perfect time to add your carbonara sauce and more cheese! Spread the egg mixture to the edges, and then add a generous amount of mozzarella and pepper. Put it back in your oven and continue cooking until the edges stop growing and the crust is crispy and slightly browned. Lastly, add more pecorino and pepper before putting all of that delicious, crispy Guanciale on top.
How to Serve Carbonara Pizza
As with all pizza, my carbonara pizza is a dish best served fresh from the oven. Take the time to really notice the different flavors and savor them all. I’m not kidding you when I say this is like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. I personally recommend doubling the recipe and make at least two pizzas because you’re going to love it.
Carbonara Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- Gas Oven or Wood Fire Oven
- 1 Pizza peel
- 1 Pizza stone
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Chopping-board
- 1 wooden spoon
- 2 Bowls
- 2 Knives 1 For the meat and 1 for the cheese.
- 1 Large knife For cutting the pizza.
- 1 fork
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- 50 g Guanciale, 2oz
- 5 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese
- 3 eggs, free range
- 1 Fior di latte mozzarella
- Black Pepper, As much as required
- Extra virgin olive oil, As much as required
- Pizza dough, Check out my recipe
Instructions
- For the Carbonara pizza recipe, you first need to prepare the dough. Follow my recipe here.
- Then cut off the skin from the guanciale.
- Cut the guanciale into strips, then cut them vertically so each strip has layers of fat and meat.
- Cook it in a frying pan until crispy. The fat of guanciale will turn into oil so add extra virgin olive oil only if necessary.
- Set the guanciale aside and save the oil for later.
- Then slice the mozzarella and cut it into cubes.
- Separate two egg yolks and add a third whole egg. Whisk them well and add generous amounts of pepper and Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Add the oil from the Guanciale. This will help melt the Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Keep adding cheese until the mixture is thick and creamy.
- Once the pizza dough is ready, add some flour on the chopping board, then put the dough on top.
- Press on the center of the dough without touching the edges, then flip the dough over and press down again on the center.
- Keep stretching the dough by slapping it against the chopping board.
- Once ready, pour extra virgin olive oil around the edges and the middle, then add Pecorino Romano cheese and mozzarella.
- Crank the oven up to the highest temp, or 400 degrees Celsius for a gas/wood oven.
- Then put the pizza on the peel and slide it into the oven.
- Allow the edges to puff in the oven. This should take at least 45 seconds for a gas or wood pizza oven, and approx 3 minutes in a domestic oven.
- Once the pizza has partially cooked, take it out and spread the egg mixture carbonara sauce on top.
- Add a generous amount of mozzarella and pepper then put it back into the oven.
- Cook until the edges are done rising, and the crust is slightly browned.
- Once the Pizza is ready, take it out from the oven and add more Pecorino Romano and pepper before topping with guanciale.
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