Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a Roman classic said to date back to the mid-20th century, made from just eggs, guanciale, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. No cream belongs anywhere near an authentic carbonara — the sauce's silky richness comes purely from emulsifying eggs and cheese with rendered pork fat and hot pasta water.

By YumYum Editorial · Italian

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 14 oz spaghetti
• 6 oz guanciale, cut into small strips or lardons
• 4 large egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg
• 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra for serving
• to taste Freshly cracked black pepper, generous amount
• to taste Fine salt, for the pasta water

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
2. While the pasta cooks, render the guanciale in a cold skillet set over medium-low heat, letting the fat slowly melt out until the pieces are crisp and golden, about 8-10 minutes.
3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, and Pecorino Romano together with a generous amount of cracked black pepper until smooth.
4. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the spaghetti and add it directly to the skillet with the guanciale, off the heat, tossing to coat in the rendered fat.
5. Let the pasta cool for about 30 seconds so it won't scramble the eggs, then add a splash of hot pasta water to the egg mixture to temper it.
6. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta, tossing constantly and vigorously, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce turns glossy and coats every strand.
7. Work quickly and keep the pan off direct heat throughout — residual heat is enough to thicken the eggs without scrambling them.
8. Serve immediately in warmed bowls with extra Pecorino and a final crack of black pepper.