Spaghetti Carbonara with Guanciale
The Greek Farmer
4
15 minutes
Italian
Dinner
This is proper carbonara!
Simple, packed with flavour and built around our rich, slow-cured guanciale. No cream, no fuss: just eggs, cheese, pasta water and that silky fat from our pork cheeks.
Simple, packed with flavour and built around our rich, slow-cured guanciale. No cream, no fuss: just eggs, cheese, pasta water and that silky fat from our pork cheeks.

Ingredients
- 350–400g dried spaghetti
- 100g Guanciale
- 2 Large free range eggs + 2 egg yolks
- 100 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Salt (for pasta water)
- A mug of reserved pasta cooking water
Directions
- Cut the guanciale into cubes, thickness is down to personal preference. Those streaks of fat are what make carbonara silky so don’t trim them off.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and yolks. Stir in the grated cheese and a good crack of black pepper until it forms a creamy paste.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Just before draining, scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain.
- While the spaghetti cooks, fry the guanciale in a dry pan over medium heat. There’s no need for oil, the fat will melt out and crisp the meat. Cook until golden and fragrant.
- Once the guanciale is crisp, tip the hot spaghetti into the pan and toss so every strand is coated in that rich pork fat.
- Immediately transfer the coated pasta into the bowl with your egg and cheese mix. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir vigorously. Watch as the sauce magically turns creamy and glossy, clinging to each strand without scrambling the eggs. Add a touch more pasta water if you need extra silkiness.
- Divide between warm bowls, finish with more cracked pepper and an extra dusting of cheese.






