Carbonara Recipe

Make the egg-cheese mixture

In a medium bowl, combine 4 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano and 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened. Add 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and whisk to incorporate. Set aside at room temperature.

Bring water to boil

Bring a large pot (at least 6 quarts) of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt just before adding pasta.

While the water heats, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 6 oz diced guanciale (or pancetta). No additional fat is necessary for fatty guanciale; if your meat is very lean, add 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and pieces are crisp and golden, about 6–8 minutes. Reduce heat to very low to keep warm but avoid burning. Leave rendered fat in the pan; do not discard.

Add 12 oz spaghetti to the boiling salted water and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package directions). Reserve 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

Immediately add the drained pasta to the skillet with the warm guanciale and its fat. Toss over low heat for 30 seconds to coat the strands. Remove the skillet from the heat (important: no direct heat when adding eggs).

Working quickly, pour the egg-cheese mixture over the hot pasta. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and begin tossing or stirring vigorously (tongs or two forks) to create a creamy emulsion. Continue adding small splashes of pasta water as needed until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta — usually 1/2 to 1 cup total. If the mixture appears to scramble, add a couple tablespoons more hot pasta water and keep stirring off heat to calm it.

Taste and adjust: add a pinch of salt only if needed (the Pecorino and guanciale are salty). Add extra freshly ground black pepper to taste. If desired, stir in 2 tablespoons extra grated Pecorino for extra creaminess.

Divide the carbonara among warmed plates or bowls. Top with additional grated cheese and a final crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.