International Carbonara Day is all about celebrating the classic Roman pasta dish in its simplest form. This version sticks to the essentials: spaghetti, eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and plenty of black pepper. There’s no cream and no heavy sauce. The richness comes from the eggs and cheese alone, which melt together to coat the pasta in a smooth, glossy layer.

Getting carbonara just right can take some practice, but this recipe is a breeze to make. The key is to stir the egg mixture quickly into the pasta, which should be hot enough to “cook” the egg but not so hot as to make it curdle.

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti
• 150 g pancetta or guanciale, diced
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 100 g finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt, for the pasta water

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
2. While the pasta cooks, place the pancetta or guanciale in a cold pan and set over medium heat. Cook until crisp and golden. Remove from the heat.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, extra yolk and grated cheese. Season generously with black pepper.
4. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
5. Add the hot pasta to the pan with the pancetta and toss well.
6. Remove the pan from the heat completely, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Toss quickly, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed, until a silky sauce forms and coats the pasta.
7. Serve immediately with extra cheese and black pepper.