Spaghetti alla Carbonara

1. 1Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt it properly — pasta water should taste like the sea, since it's your only chance to season the noodles themselves.
2. 2Whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, Pecorino and Parmesan together in a bowl with a generous amount of black pepper, until you have a thick, grainy paste. Do this now so it's ready the second the pasta is.
3. 3Cook the guanciale in a large, cold pan set over medium-low heat — starting it cold renders the fat gently rather than scorching the outside before the inside melts. Fry for 6–8 minutes, until crisp and golden, then take the pan off the heat.
4. 4Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the packet says. Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
5. 5Tip the drained pasta straight into the pan with the guanciale and its fat, off the heat, and toss to coat every strand.
6. 6Wait 60 seconds for the pan to cool slightly, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing constantly and vigorously. This waiting step is what stops the eggs scrambling — pour them onto pasta that's still too hot and you'll get carbonara-flavoured omelette instead of sauce.
7. 7Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and keep tossing. The sauce will loosen and turn glossy over about a minute; add more water a tablespoon at a time until it coats the back of a spoon rather than pooling in the bottom of the pan.
8. 8Serve immediately in warmed bowls with more black pepper and grated Pecorino. Carbonara does not wait — it keeps thickening and turns gluey within minutes.

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