Carbonara

Method

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Cut the guanciale into strips.
3. Place the guanciale in a cold pan and cook over very low heat to render the fat slowly.
4. When the guanciale is crispy, remove it from the pan and set aside on paper towels.
5. In a bowl, whisk together 2 egg yolks and 1 egg white.
6. Add a generous amount of grated Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper to the eggs.
7. Add some of the rendered guanciale fat to the egg mixture and cook over a bain-marie (double boiler) for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, to pasteurize the eggs.
8. Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in the boiling water until al dente.
9. Just before the pasta is done, deglaze the pan used for the guanciale with a splash of pasta cooking water.
10. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the guanciale and a little pasta water. Toss over low heat to combine.
11. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the egg mixture, tossing vigorously to coat the pasta without scrambling the eggs.
12. Serve immediately, topping with crispy guanciale pieces, a final grating of Pecorino Romano, and a sprinkle of black pepper.