Spaghetti Carbonara

Bring pasta water to a boil

Fill a large pot with water, add the salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

Make the egg and cheese sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 egg yolks and 1 whole egg until smooth.

Add the grated Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano to the egg mixture and whisk until a thick paste forms.

Stir in half the cracked black pepper and set the bowl aside.

Cook the guanciale

Place the cubed guanciale in a cold large skillet, then set over medium heat.

Cook the guanciale, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are golden and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside, keeping the rendered fat in the pan.

Cook the spaghetti

Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until just al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directions.

Reserve 1 full cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

Drain the spaghetti in a colander.

Temper the egg sauce

Slowly whisk 3 tablespoons of the hot pasta water into the egg and cheese mixture to gently warm it.

Combine everything

Return the skillet with guanciale and its fat to very low heat.

Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat in the guanciale fat.

Remove the skillet from the heat completely — this is critical to avoid scrambling the eggs.

Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot spaghetti.

Toss rapidly and continuously with tongs to coat every strand.

Add pasta water a splash at a time, tossing between each addition, until the sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta.

Serve immediately

Divide the carbonara between two warm bowls.

Top each bowl with the remaining cracked black pepper.

Finish with an extra pinch of grated Pecorino Romano and serve immediately.