Spaghetti alla Carbonara the real way

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300 g spaghetti, high quality
• 150 g guanciale or pancetta in one piece
• 4 egg yolks, size M
• 1 egg(s), size M
• 50 g Pecorino, Roman, freshly grated
• 50 g Parmesan, freshly grated
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Classic version

I want to describe this Roman dish here as faithfully as possible. The quantities are therefore intended for a “primo piatto.” If you don’t want to have a main course and want to eat more, increase all ingredients by at least half. Buy the guanciale or pancetta whole, trim off the top layer and the bottom rind. Then cut the bacon into large cubes of about one centimeter in length and place them in a pan without oil, frying gently. Olive oil or any other fat is definitely not used in this dish. Finally, when the bacon is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, remove the rind. Place the egg yolks, whole egg, and 30 grams each of Pecorino and Parmesan cheese in a “Bagno Maria,” a saucepan with a tapered bottom. Add two pinches of ground black pepper and whisk the mixture until very fine. If you don’t have one, use a stainless steel mixing bowl. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of water with a little less salt, as the bacon and cheese will taste quite salty later, according to the package instructions. Use a large, open pot, then place the Bagno Maria or a whisk on top to whisk the egg mixture in a bain-marie until creamy. You can also place it on top of a separate pot of boiling water. Remove the pan with the bacon from the heat when it is lightly browned. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the rendered fat to the egg mixture, then remove and discard any remaining fat in the pan. Mix the egg mixture with 4-5 tablespoons of pasta water and continue whisking over the cooking spaghetti until creamy. The temperature of the egg mixture should not exceed 65 degrees Celsius, and please do not add any additional salt. Then let the mixture cool slightly so that it does not immediately curdle with the hot pasta. Just before the pasta is al dente, add half of the bacon to the egg mixture. Then, while still dripping wet, lift the spaghetti straight from the pot into the egg mixture, turning it over frequently. If the egg mixture is too runny, leave the Bagno Maria in the water bath over the pasta pot for a while. Be careful, however, that the egg mixture does not curdle. Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, divide it between plates. Then add the remaining speck and the mixed cheese to the pasta. Finally, add a few more grinds of pepper, if desired, and serve. Cream and other types of speck never belong in this dish, nor do various herbs or other additives, especially not as garnish. Roman Pecorino is very salty, which is why it is mixed with Parmesan cheese. This is not absolutely necessary, however. You can also use Pecorino alone. A brilliant dish with just four ingredients for the pasta: guanciale, eggs, cheese, and pepper.