Italy is always associated with pasta so I thought I'd write about one of it's most celebrated pasta dishes which is a traditional Roman recipe, and often made incorrectly around the world.  I'll confess that for many years I was making this recipe all wrong.  While I will frequently rave about my mother's cooking and her wonderful recipes, I am sorry to say that her Carbonara recipe wasn't at all traditional.  It was good (we loved it)... but it would make any Roman screw up his nose if presented with the list of ingredients.  

When I moved to Rome from Tuscany ,  I made it a priority to perfect my Carbonara recipe.  I asked chefs, cooks, nonnas, friends (just about everyone actually) how they made their Carbonara, and I realised that although everyone may change the quantity of each ingredient, the fundamental ingredients don't ever change. Variations to carbonara should never be accepted and if you do decide to add garlic, leeks, peas, mushrooms, parsley or (God forbid) cream, please give your pasta dish another name.