Classic Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients

• 200g spaghetti
• 100g guanciale or pancetta, diced
• 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 60g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
• 30g Parmesan, finely grated
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente (1–2 min less than the package says).

2. 2

   While pasta cooks, fry guanciale in a cold skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and edges are crispy, about 8–10 min. Remove from heat.

3. 3

   In a bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolk, Pecorino, and Parmesan with a generous amount of black pepper until smooth.

4. 4

   Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and immediately add to the skillet with guanciale off the heat.

5. 5

   Pour the egg mixture over the hot pasta, tossing rapidly. Add pasta water a splash at a time, tossing constantly, until you have a creamy, glossy sauce. Work quickly — the heat from the pasta cooks the eggs without scrambling them.

6. 6

   Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino and cracked black pepper.