For pasta lovers around the world, carbonara – that signature Roman dish with guanciale (pork jowls or cheeks), Pecorino Romano cheese and egg over a base of al dente spaghetti – is one of the most celebrated recipes. It even has its own day: April 6th. And just when we thought carbonara couldn’t get any better, celebrated chef Marco Quintili has a recipe to share, combining the classic pasta dish with pizza. At his iQuintili restaurants in Rome and Naples, the Carbonara Pizza is one of the most popular on the menu, and he’s offered to share some valuable tips with us on how to make it at home.

Marco’s Carbonara Pizza is an ode to Rome and the signature flavour and textures of one of its most famous dishes, and using high-quality ingredients is absolutely fundamental. He prefers guanciale from the Lucania region of Italy (sourced from wild pigs), fresh buffalo mozzarella and Pecorino Romano, and, of course, fresh eggs. Taking it a step further, Marco puts the eggs through a special marinating process that includes mixing the yolk with sugar and salt and letting the mixture rest for two or three days (depending on the size of the eggs used). He then grates the final product over the pizza. As for the distinctive peppery bite, Marco prefers Cuvée pepper, a blend of ground spices, Tasmanian mountain pepper and cubeb pepper. 

Pasta alla carbonara is a delicious and decadent dish, but it can also be on the heavy side. Marco’s carbonara pizza, on the other hand, is lighter and low on dairy, which means you can indulge without feeling like you’ve overdone it. Creamy, cheesy, crunchy, and with just a hint of pepper, in our humble opinion, this pizza is a choice way to celebrate Carbonara Day.