Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti
• 150 g smoked pancetta lardons
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 80 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
• 40 g Parmesan, finely grated
• 2 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
• 1 garlic clove

Method

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente, reserving 200 ml pasta water before draining.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, Pecorino, Parmesan and black pepper in a bowl until smooth.

3. 3

   Fry the pancetta in a large frying pan over medium heat until golden and crisp. Add the crushed garlic clove and cook for 30 seconds, then remove the garlic.

4. 4

   Remove the pan from the heat and add the drained spaghetti, tossing well to coat in the pancetta fat.

5. 5

   Pour the egg mixture over the pasta, adding a splash of reserved pasta water and tossing vigorously — the residual heat will create a silky sauce without scrambling the eggs.

6. 6

   Add more pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and black pepper.