Ultimate Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Finely chop the 100g of pancetta, removing the fat first. Grate finely 50g of pecorino and 50g of parmesan and mix them together.

In a medium bowl, beat the 3 large eggs and season with a bit of freshly grated black pepper. Set aside.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water, add 350g of spaghetti and when the water comes to a boil again, simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).

Crush 2 whole garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to crush them.

While the spaghetti cooks, sauté the pancetta with the garlic. Pour 50g of butter into a large skillet or wok and as soon as the butter has melted, add the pancetta and garlic to the pan.

Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crispy. Now the garlic has infused its flavor, so remove it with a slotted spoon and discard.

Keep the heat under the pancetta low. When the pasta is ready, lift it out of the water with a pasta fork or tongs and place it in the pan with the pancetta. Don't worry if some water drops into the pan (that's exactly what you want to do) and don't throw away the pasta cooking water.

Mix most of the cheese with the eggs, reserving a small handful to sprinkle on top later.

Remove the skillet of spaghetti and pancetta from the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using tongs or a long fork, lift the spaghetti so that it easily mixes with the egg mixture, which thickens but does not solidify, and everything is well coated.

Add a bit of the pasta cooking water to keep it all flavorful (a few tablespoons should be enough). It shouldn't be wet, just moist. Season with a bit of salt if needed.

Use a long fork to twirl the pasta onto a serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish becomes a bit dry before serving, add a bit more hot pasta water and the shine of the sauce will be revived.