Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta is cooking, dice the pancetta into small pieces.
In a large pan, cook the pancetta over medium heat until crispy. Remove the pancetta and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper until well combined.
Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan with the pancetta fat. Toss to coat.
Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the egg mixture over the hot pasta, tossing quickly and continuously to create a creamy sauce. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to adjust the consistency.
Serve immediately, garnished with the crispy pancetta and extra Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper.
The flavor was good, but I felt like something was missing. Maybe it was the quality of the cheese I used. I'll try it again with a different Pecorino Romano and see if that makes a difference.
This recipe is a winner! The creamy sauce, the salty pancetta, the sharp cheese… everything was perfect. It was surprisingly easy to make, and the result was restaurant-quality carbonara. Will be making this again and again.
