Modern Spaghetti carbonara has a couple of small twists, but the first step remains, boil the water for your pasta in a large pot.
Once it boils, add ½ tablespoon rock salt.
Cook pasta according to the packet instructions but allow one minute less cooking time – this will keep it al dente and allow you to cook it more in the pan.
Slice the guanciale into small strips so that there is fat at the top and bottom with the meat in the middle.
Put the large fry pan on the stove at a low to medium heat. For the modern spaghetti carbonara recipe to be just right, add guanciale into the pan and cook very slowly and it will create its own delicious oil.
Let the guanciale simmer and crisp up on the outside while staying softer in the middle.
Get 2 small mixing bowls and separate the yolk from the egg white. Leave the bowl with the egg white to the side and add 6 tablespoons of pecorino cheese, my favourite ingredient for the modern spaghetti carbonara.
Mix the egg yolk and pecorino cheese really well using a spatula until you get a thick paste.
Once the pasta is ready, collect a mug/cup full of pasta water – at this point it is full of starch!
Strain the pasta and put it in the pan with the guanciale on a low heat and quickly add half of the cup full of pasta water and keep stirring it through well using tongs. The water will start to evaporate.
Once there is little to no water left, add another small amount of pasta water and turn the heat off.
Add the pecorino/egg cream and mix it through really well until you get a creamy consistency.
Add a very generous amount of freshly ground pepper and mix the modern spaghetti carbonara once again before you serve.
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!