Spaghetti alla Carbonara Classic

Cut the guanciale into small cubes or strips, about 1/2 inch thick. Place them in a cold, large skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the guanciale is crispy and has rendered most of its fat. Remove the crispy guanciale with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pan. Keep the pan off the heat for now.

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, prepare the egg and cheese mixture. Do not discard all the pasta water; you will need some later.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg until well combined. Add the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Whisk everything together until you have a thick, creamy paste. If it seems too thick, you can add a tablespoon of the reserved guanciale fat.

Before draining the spaghetti, reserve about 1 to 1.5 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti quickly and immediately transfer it to the skillet with the reserved guanciale fat. Toss the pasta vigorously with the fat over low heat for about 30 seconds to coat it well and warm the pan.

Remove the skillet from the heat. This is crucial to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot spaghetti. Immediately start tossing and stirring the pasta vigorously, adding a small amount of the reserved hot pasta water (about 1/4 cup) little by little. The heat from the pasta and the pasta water will cook the eggs just enough to create a creamy, emulsified sauce without scrambling.

Continue tossing and adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed, until the sauce reaches your desired creamy consistency. It should coat every strand of spaghetti beautifully. Stir in most of the crispy guanciale. Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with extra freshly ground black pepper, a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese, and the remaining crispy guanciale.