Pasta Carbonara Recipe

Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Prepare the pancetta

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crispy and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the sauce

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated pecorino cheese, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.

Mix pasta and pancetta

Once the pasta is cooked and drained, immediately add it to the skillet with the pancetta. Toss to combine, ensuring the pasta is well coated with the pancetta fat.

Add the egg mixture

Remove the skillet from heat and quickly pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Toss vigorously to coat the spaghetti. The residual heat will cook the eggs and create a creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Season and serve

Taste the pasta and adjust seasoning with salt and additional black pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra pecorino cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.