Spaghetti Carbonara

• 400g (14 oz) spaghetti

• 150g (5 oz) guanciale (or pancetta if unavailable)

• 3 large egg yolks + 1 whole egg

• ¾ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Salt (for pasta water)

Instructions:

1 Boil the pasta

◦ Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

◦ Cook spaghetti until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.

2 Prepare the guanciale

◦ Cut guanciale into small strips or cubes.

◦ In a skillet over medium heat, cook until golden and crispy, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat but leave rendered fat in the pan.

3 Make the sauce

◦ In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, Pecorino Romano, and a generous amount of black pepper until smooth.

4 Combine everything

◦ Add the drained pasta to the skillet with guanciale (off the heat).

◦ Quickly pour in the egg-cheese mixture, tossing vigorously to coat pasta without scrambling the eggs.

◦ Add small splashes of the reserved pasta water until a silky sauce clings to the noodles.

5 Serve

◦ Plate immediately, topping with more Pecorino and black pepper.