Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients:

• 450 gr. dry spaghetti
• 110 g of pancetta or bacon, cut into cubes or small strips
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2 eggs category CO
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 handful of chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook for 8-10 minutes, until al dente but still firm to the bite. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and starch for use in the sauce (optional).
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and fry for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered. Add the garlic to the fat and fry for no more than 1 minute, until softened. Add the hot spaghetti to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes to coat the spaghetti with the rendered fat.
3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and Parmesan cheese until well combined, making sure there are no lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the egg-cheese mixture.
   
   It's crucial that the pasta is hot when you add the egg mixture, as the heat from the pasta will cook the raw eggs in the sauce. Stir quickly until the eggs thicken but do not hard-boil (to prevent this, remove the pan from the heat). Thin the sauce with a little of the reserved cooking liquid until it reaches the desired consistency.
   
   Season the carbonara with a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Transfer the spaghetti carbonara to warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve the grated cheese on a separate plate.