Marc Murphy Says Americans Have Been Making Carbonara Completely Wrong

Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish with simple ingredients and a rich, creamy texture. It also happens to be Marc Murphy's favorite pasta and sauce combination, but when Mashed caught up with the chef and Food Network personality at the New York City Wine & Food Festival, he told us that some American versions put a spin on the classic that is all wrong. "I've been trying to teach America how to make it properly," Murphy shared.

If you've ever marveled at carbonara's creaminess, you should know that actual cream has nothing to do with it. Traditionally, it's made with eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale (cured pork cheek), and black pepper. The sauce comes together by tossing the hot pasta with the raw egg and cheese mixture. The result is a custard-like sauce that clings to the noodles. However, in the U.S., some restaurants and chefs have adopted a different approach, serving carbonara with a raw egg yolk on top.

It's true that many chefs get creative with classic dishes. For example, Rachael Ray's carbonara recipe includes sausage and kale. Although we've seen the raw egg on top at such restaurants as RPM Italian in Chicago and from celebrity chef Mario Batali, Murphy – who was born in Italy – emphasizes that it has nothing to do with the authentic recipe. "The raw egg on top, I don't know who f***ing came up with that idea," Murphy said. "It was a garnish idea."

If you really want to slap a raw egg yolk on top of a simple carbonara, no one's going to stop you, but keep in mind that it isn't part of the traditional recipe for a reason. While the idea is for diners to mix the egg into the pasta themselves, traditional carbonara incorporates egg into steaming hot pasta so that the residual heat cooks it through, giving the sauce its famously smooth texture. Those of us who have worked in restaurants know the time between plating pasta and serving it is enough to cool it down to where this technique won't work. Instead, you'll be left with noodles swimming in raw egg.

The truth about Marc Murphy is he has more experience in professional kitchens than we can shake a stick at. He grew up in places like Milan and Rome (the birthplace of carbonara), so when it comes to authenticity, we have to agree with his take.

Also, let's not forget about "Carbonaragate," when Italians were outraged at a French recipe that took liberties with the traditional process of making carbonara, including using creme fraiche and onions — and, of course, plopping a raw egg yolk on top. While we're all for creativity in cooking, putting a raw egg on a plated dish of carbonara just won't achieve the same effect as the traditional method of preparation. Some things are perfect the way they are.