Spaghetti Carbonara


Ingredients:
• 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.