Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (450 grams) high-quality bronze-cut pasta (Spaghetti, Rigatoni, or Bucatini)
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) Guanciale (cured pork jowl), cubed
  • 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 whole large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (100 grams) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving
  • 1 tablespoon freshly and coarsely ground black peppercorns
  • Coarse salt, for pasta water

Instructions:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the 5 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, the finely grated Pecorino Romano, and the freshly ground black pepper until smooth and pale yellow. Set aside.
  2. Cut the guanciale into small, uniform cubes (about 1/4 inch). Place the cubes in a cold, large, heavy-bottomed skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat has fully rendered and the pork pieces are deeply golden and crisp. This takes patience.
  3. Once crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove the cracklings (ciccioli) onto a paper towel, leaving all the rendered fat in the skillet. Turn off the heat under the skillet to allow it to cool slightly.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt. Cook the pasta until very al dente (about 1-2 minutes shy of package directions).
  5. Crucially, before draining, reserve at least 1.5 cups (about 350ml) of the starchy pasta cooking water.
  6. Transfer the drained pasta directly into the skillet containing the warm (not hot!) rendered fat. Toss well to coat the pasta strands.
  7. Temper the eggs: Working quickly off the heat, ladle about 1/4 cup of the hot reserved pasta water into the egg/cheese mixture while whisking constantly. This gently raises the temperature of the eggs.
  8. Pour the tempered egg mixture over the pasta in the skillet. Toss everything vigorously and continuously, adding more reserved hot pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce transforms into a creamy, glossy coating that clings to every strand.
  9. Stir in most of the reserved crispy guanciale. Taste for final seasoning; usually, no extra salt is needed.
  10. Plate immediately, topping each portion with the remaining crispy guanciale, an extra dusting of Pecorino Romano, and a final twist of black pepper.