Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Recipe

Bring water to a boil

Fill a large pot with about 4-5 quarts (liters) of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt once boiling.

Cook the spaghetti

Add 12 oz spaghetti and cook until very al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Before draining, scoop and reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the hot pasta cooking water. Do not rinse the pasta. Drain the spaghetti and set it aside in the pot or a large mixing bowl.

Prepare egg-cheese mixture

In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg until smooth. Add 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano and 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan. Whisk vigorously until combined into a thick paste. Add 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. The mixture should be creamy; if too thick, add a tablespoon of reserved pasta water to loosen slightly. Season very lightly with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, keeping in mind the cheese and cured meat are salty.

Keep the egg-cheese mixture near the stove so it's at room temperature when you combine with pasta; this helps prevent scrambling.

Render the guanciale

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil only if your guanciale is very lean; otherwise start without oil. Add 6 oz diced guanciale (or pancetta) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the cubes are crisp but not burnt, about 6-8 minutes. Reduce heat if the pieces brown too quickly. Remove skillet from heat but keep the rendered fat in the pan.

Combine pasta with rendered fat

Add the drained, hot spaghetti into the skillet with the rendered guanciale and fat. Toss continuously over low heat (or with the pan off heat but warmed) for 30-60 seconds so the pasta is coated in fat. If the pan is dry or the pasta seems stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to loosen.

Emulsify with egg-cheese mixture

Remove the skillet from direct heat (important to avoid scrambling eggs). Working quickly, add the egg-cheese mixture to the hot pasta and toss vigorously with tongs or a spoon to create a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water in small increments (1-2 tablespoons at a time) as needed to reach a silky, glossy consistency. Continue tossing until the sauce clings to each strand, about 1 minute. The residual heat from pasta and pan will cook the eggs gently into a smooth sauce.

Finish and adjust

If desired, stir in 1 teaspoon butter for extra gloss. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more black pepper generously (carbonara traditionally uses a lot) and a small pinch of salt only if necessary. If sauce is too thick, add more reserved pasta water until desired creaminess is reached.

Serve

Divide spaghetti among warm bowls or plates. Top each portion with additional grated Pecorino or Parmesan and another crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.