Spaghetti alla Carbonara Classic

Cut the guanciale into small cubes or thick strips. Place it in a cold, large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook slowly, rendering out the fat until the guanciale is golden brown and crispy. Remove the crispy guanciale with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Turn off the heat under the skillet for now.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg until well combined. Gradually add the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, whisking continuously until a thick, creamy paste forms. Stir in 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Do not add salt to this mixture yet.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, reserve about 1 to 1.5 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

Drain the spaghetti and immediately add it to the skillet containing the warm guanciale fat (reheat the fat slightly if it has cooled too much). Toss the spaghetti vigorously with tongs for about 30 seconds to coat it evenly in the fat. This step helps prevent the eggs from scrambling later.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Add a ladleful of the reserved hot pasta water to the egg and cheese mixture, whisking quickly to temper the eggs. Immediately pour the tempered egg mixture over the spaghetti in the skillet. Add about half of the crispy guanciale back into the skillet.

Using tongs, toss the pasta vigorously and continuously, adding small splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed, until a thick, glossy, and creamy sauce forms, coating every strand of spaghetti. The heat from the pasta and skillet, combined with the pasta water, will cook the eggs just enough to create the sauce without scrambling. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining crispy guanciale, extra grated Pecorino Romano, and a generous crack of fresh black pepper.