Roman-style spaghetti carbonara

Ingredients

• 100 g of spaghetti (or penne)
• 80 g of smoked pork belly, preferably cured (like pancetta)
• 1 egg
• 25 g of Pecorino Romano and 25g of Parmesan, mixed together.
• a little butter or olive oil
• garlic, to taste
• salt, freshly ground black pepper

Heat up some salted water and cook the pasta according to the instructions.

Grate the cheese and whisk it together with the eggs in a mixing bowl. Season generously with pepper and add a pinch of salt. The mixture should be thick, almost creamy; add more cheese if needed.

Dice or slice the bacon, then fry it in a pan with a little butter or oil until it is crispy. Optionally, add a clove of garlic, then remove it.

Drain the pasta as soon as it is cooked al dente, then immediately mix it with the egg and cheese mixture, and finally add the warm bacon.

Serve immediately, with crushed black pepper.

Alternative: Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan with the bacon. Add half a cup of the cooking water, remove from the heat, and stir in the grated cheese until a creamy texture is achieved.

Place the pasta in a shallow bowl, creating a well in the center, and add one or two egg yolks, depending on your preference.