Spaghetti Carbonara

Preparation mode

• Start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water. Follow package instructions for cooking time until pasta is “al dente”. Remember to reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta.
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare the carbonara sauce. Cut the guanciale or pancetta into small pieces. In a large skillet, cook the guanciale or pancetta over medium heat until crisp and golden. Remove from heat and drain excess fat with paper towels.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a good amount of freshly ground black pepper. Mix well to form a thick paste. Keep in mind that Pecorino cheese is salty, so you may not need to add extra salt.
• When the pasta is done, drain, but reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Immediately after draining the pasta, add it to the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture. Mix well so that the heat from the pasta cooks the eggs and creates a creamy sauce. If the mixture seems too thick, you can add some of the reserved cooking water to thin the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Add the guanciale or crispy pancetta to the pasta and mix.
• Serve the pasta carbonara immediately, sprinkled with more grated Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper.