Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients

• 200 g spaghetti
• 120 g guanciale or pancetta, cut into strips
• 2 whole eggs + 1 yolk
• 60 g pecorino romano, finely grated
• 1 tsp black pepper, coarsely cracked
• salt, for the pasta water

Method

1. Boil the pasta

   Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Do not drain it yet — you need the starchy water.

   9 min

2. Crisp the pork

   Meanwhile, put the guanciale in a cold, dry pan over medium heat. Let the fat render out slowly until the strips are golden and crisp, then take the pan off the heat.

   7 min

3. Make the sauce base

   Beat the eggs and extra yolk with the grated pecorino and a heavy grind of black pepper. It should be a thick paste, not a liquid.

4. Bring it together

   Lift the drained spaghetti straight into the pan of pork fat off the heat, add a splash of pasta water, then stir in the egg mixture fast and constantly. The residual heat cooks it into a glossy sauce — if the pan is too hot you get scrambled eggs.

5. Serve

   Loosen with more pasta water until it coats the strands. Serve at once with more pecorino and pepper.