Authentic Spaghetti Carbonara

Steps

1. 1.

   1.

   Render the Guanciale** Place the guanciale in a wide cold skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring now and then, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are golden and crisp at the edges but still a little supple in the center. Take the pan off the heat. Spoon off a tablespoon of fat if the pan looks flooded, but leave most of it — that is your sauce base.

2. 2.

   Make the Egg and Cheese Mixture

   In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, grated pecorino, and cracked pepper into a thick paste. It should look like wet mortar, not a loose scramble. Set it near the stove so it is ready the moment the pasta is.

3. 3.

   Boil the Pasta

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the tablespoon of salt. Cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente — about 1 minute less than the package time. Before draining, ladle out at least 250 ml of the starchy cooking water. You will not use all of it, but you want it on hand.

4. 4.

   Toss Pasta with Guanciale

   Use tongs to transfer the pasta straight into the skillet with the guanciale. Set the pan over low heat for 30 to 45 seconds, tossing so every strand is coated in the fat. Splash in 60 ml of pasta water and toss again. Take the pan fully off the heat — this is the important part.

5. 5.

   Emulsify Off the Heat

   Wait 15 to 20 seconds so the pan is hot but not scorching. Add a small splash of pasta water to the egg mixture to loosen it, then pour it over the pasta. Toss quickly and steadily, adding pasta water a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the spaghetti in a creamy coat. If it looks tight, add more water; if it looks thin, keep tossing — it thickens as the cheese melts. If you see scrambled flecks, the pan was too hot; pull it farther from the stove and add a little more water to recover what you can.

6. 6.

   Serve Immediately

   Taste. The pecorino and guanciale are salty, so it may not need more salt — it will want more pepper. Twirl into warm bowls, finish with extra pecorino and a last grind of pepper, and eat at once. Carbonara waits for no one.