Authentic Carbonara Recipe

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Season generously with salt—about 2 tablespoons per 500 g of pasta. It should taste like the sea.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Stir in the grated Pecorino Romano and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. You should have a thick, cohesive paste. Set aside.

Place the guanciale in a cold skillet (no oil needed) and turn the heat to medium. Let the fat slowly render and the guanciale become golden and crisp at the edges, about 5–7 minutes. Do not over-crisp it—it should be tender with a bit of bite. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer guanciale to a plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pan.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.

Transfer the drained pasta directly into the warm pan with the guanciale fat. Toss to coat the pasta evenly. Remove pan from heat completely (this prevents scrambling the eggs).

Slowly pour in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing vigorously with tongs or stirring quickly to create a silky sauce. Add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water, as needed, to loosen and emulsify the sauce. It should cling to the pasta and look glossy, never dry or soupy.

Fold in the cooked guanciale, saving a few pieces for garnish. Plate immediately and finish with more Pecorino Romano and a good grind of black pepper.