Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients — tap to check off as you gather

• 4 qt (4 L) water
• 1 Tbs (18 g) salt
• 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
• 6 oz (170 g) guanciale or pancetta — cut into batons
• 3 large (150 g) eggs
• 1 cup (100 g) Pecorino Romano — finely grated
• 2 tsp (4 g) black pepper — coarsely ground

Steps

1. Prep — No cream. That’s the whole secret..
2. Boil (rolling) — 4 qt (4 L) water, 1 Tbs (18 g) salt.
3. Boil al dente (8–10 min · reserve 1 cup (240 mL) pasta water) — the boil from step 2, 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti.
4. Render (medium, 6–8 min, until crisp · keep the fat) — 6 oz (170 g) guanciale or pancetta.
5. Whisk — 3 large (150 g) eggs, 1 cup (100 g) Pecorino Romano, 2 tsp (4 g) black pepper.
6. Toss off heat (loosen with pasta water until glossy, 1–2 min; serve at once) — the boil al dente from step 3, the render from step 4, the whisk from step 5.