Homemade nuki carbonara (no cream)

Ingredients

• 500 g Starchy potatoes (type Bintje or Russet) (choose high‑starch potatoes)
• 80 g Wheat flour (type 00 if possible) (to give structure to the dough)
• 2 Egg yolks (fresh eggs, at room temperature)
• 1 pinch Nutmeg (optional, to flavor the dough)
• 150 g Pancetta (dry‑cured smoked pork cheek) (cut into matchsticks)
• 100 g Grated Parmesan (prefer a 24‑month aged Parmesan)
• 80 ml Extra‑virgin olive oil (for cooking the nuki)
• 20 g Unsalted butter (for the carbonara sauce)
• 40 ml Water (to slightly loosen the sauce)
• to taste Freshly ground black pepper (to season the sauce)
• to taste Salt (for cooking water and sauce)

Instructions

1. Prepare the potatoes

   Wash the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, wrap each individually in aluminum foil.

   Time: PT5M

2. Oven cooking

   Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, until the flesh is very tender.

   Time: PT35M

   Temperature: 190°C

3. Retrieve the pulp

   Let cool for 5 minutes, open the packets, remove as much skin as possible and mash the flesh with a fork to obtain about 300 g of pulp.

   Time: PT5M

4. Sieve the pulp

   Pass the hot pulp through a sieve or ricer to obtain a fine texture and remove excess moisture.

   Time: PT5M

5. Incorporate flour, nutmeg and egg yolks

   In a bowl, mix the sieved pulp with 80 g flour, a pinch of nutmeg, 2 egg yolks, salt and pepper. Form a homogeneous dough.

   Time: PT5M

6. Shape the nuki

   Divide the dough into 4 parts, roll each part into a rope about 1 cm in diameter, then cut into 2‑3 cm pieces. Roll each piece between your fingers or on a gnocchi board to create ridges.

   Time: PT5M

7. Cook the nuki in water

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the nuki and cook for 2‑3 minutes, until they rise to the surface.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: 100°C

8. Light frying in olive oil

   Drain the nuki and immediately transfer them to a pan containing 80 ml extra‑virgin olive oil heated over medium heat (≈180°C) for 4‑5 minutes, turning them to lightly brown.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Prepare the carbonara sauce

   In a small saucepan, sauté the rendered fat from the pancetta over low heat until translucent. Add 20 g butter, 40 ml water, 1 tsp flour, then stir in 100 g grated Parmesan. Off the heat, whisk in the 2 egg yolks quickly to avoid coagulation.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 80°C

10. Final assembly

    Toss the browned nuki with the carbonara sauce, add the reserved crispy pancetta bits, season generously with pepper and serve immediately.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

520

Protein

22 g

Carbohydrates

55 g

Fat

24 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Starchy potatoes (type Bintje or Russet): Mashed potatoes (less recommended)
• Instead of Wheat flour (type 00 if possible): All‑purpose flour, Rice flour (gluten‑free)
• Instead of Egg yolks: Pasteurized egg yolk
• Instead of Nutmeg: Freshly grated nutmeg
• Instead of Pancetta (dry‑cured smoked pork cheek): Smoked bacon, Guanciale
• Instead of Grated Parmesan: Pecorino romano, Grana Padano
• Instead of Extra‑virgin olive oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine
• Instead of Freshly ground black pepper: White pepper

Equipment Needed

• Oven
• Baking sheet
• Aluminum foil
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Kitchen scale
• Sieve or ricer (potato ricer)
• Mixing bowl
• Fork (optional)
• Saucepan (2 L)
• Colander
• Large frying pan
• Wooden spatula
• Whisk

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the potatoes in foil packets until fully tender
• Sifting the pulp to remove excess moisture
• Balancing the flour/puree/egg yolk ratio to achieve a non‑sticky dough
• Prevent the egg yolks from coagulating when making the sauce

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high‑starch potatoes (Bintje, Russet) for better binding.
• Sifting the puree gives a lighter texture than using a food mill.
• Browning the nuki in olive oil yields a crispy crust without adding extra butter.
• The rendered fat from the pancetta is the authentic base of carbonara; do not discard it.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store cooked nuki in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Uncooked nuki can be frozen on a tray, then transferred to a freezer bag for 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook the potatoes the day before and keep the pulp refrigerated.
• Shape the nuki, place them on a tray and freeze before cooking.
• Prepare the carbonara sauce ahead of time and gently reheat before serving.