Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Such a simple dish, so silky and creamy, unbeatable in flavour and only 4 ingredients. But there are some golden rules to this traditional Italian dish and if you break them, it's not carbonara...

If you don't have spaghetti, use fettuccine or even rigatoni. Anything really--no hard and fast rules for this part. Just make sure you cook to packet instructions (time-wise). Normally, we'd salt the pasta water well. There's plenty of salt in the guanciale--but it's entirely up to you. Taste the pork while it's cooking and judge for yourself.

If you can't get guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl/cheek), then use speck (smoked pork leg), or even pancetta (cured pork belly)--but then you will need to add a generous heap of pepper as it's frying. Please, never use bacon. Bacon doesn't have enough fat or the amazing flavours that you get from guanciale. If you're still having trouble finding guanciale at your supermarket, try an independent deli or cheese shop.

Whisking your egg whites with the yolks is vital to this recipe. It's one of the most important rules of Carbonara--if you don't completely incorporate the two, then you won't have a smooth, velvety sauce. It's tempting to use cream when making carbonara. Please don't use cream. You'll just water down the flavour, make it too heavy and it will become the sad, distant cousin of carbonara that no-one speaks to at family reunions because of all the poor mistakes he's made in life.

Ingredients

• 400g Spaghetti
• 300g Guanciale (or Pancetta), cut into lardens
• 200g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
• 3 Egg Yolks, plus; 1 Whole Egg
• Black Pepper, freshly ground (optional)

Method

1. In a large pot ring 5 litres of water to the boil on the stovetop. Add the pasta (NOTE: No salt needed) and lightly push it down for the first 30 seconds to cook the pasta evenly. Cook to packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, put your guanciale into a large, deep-dish pan on medium-low heat (no oil), and fry, continuously stirring, until it begins to crisp. Once cooked, remove guanciale to a plate and set aside. Set the pan aside (do not clean).
3. In a bowl, whisk your egg and yolks until they are mixed and light. Add half of the pecorino cheese into the eggs with a splash of the pasta water, then mix. Once combined, add in the rest of the pecorino, and continue whisking until you get the perfect, thick carbonara sauce.
4. Collect a mug of pasta water and set aside.
5. When the pasta is done, using a set of tongs, transfer your al dente pasta from the pot right into the deep-dish pan that you used for the guanciale. Mix well, and continue to stir and shake the pan gently. Add a splash of the pasta water--his helps make sure the egg does not cook into scrambled eggs (in the next step). Continue stirring for a few minutes.
6. Remove the pan from heat and add your carbonara (egg) mixture to the hot pasta with another splash of pasta water. Continue stirring/shaking until it becomes creamy.
7. Serve, topped with the reserved guanciale. Add extra cracked pepper if desired.