Pasta Carbonara
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
200g guanciale, 1/2-inch-dice
30g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
20g Parmagiano-Reggiano, finely grated
2g freshly grated Tellicherry black pepper
64 g (4) egg yolks
3L water
45 g kosher salt
450g fresh pasta or 224g dried spaghetti
Recipe
Add guanciale to a cold 12-inch frying pan and heat over high heat. As the fat renders, toss or stir the guanciale. You want it crispy on all sides but not burned. If the fat starts to smoke, lower the heat.
Place a mesh strainer over a bowl or measuring cup and strain the guanciale, reserving both. Let them cool to room temperature.
Add egg yolks and pepper to a bowl that’s large enough to fit over your pasta pot and large enough to hold all the pasta.
Add water and salt to a pot and cook pasta according to package directions until it’s just shy of al dente. Transfer to the bowl with the yolks in it and add 8oz or 250ml of pasta water and two spoonfuls of the reserved guanciale fat.
Set the bowl over the pasta pot, and reduce heat to low. We’re going to treat this as a gentle double boiler to help tighten up the sauce. Stir until sauce thickens slightly. Add the guanciale and stir to combine.
Divide among 4-6 bowls, topping with cheese and a few more turns of pepper.
