Spaghetti alla Carbonara

This is my version of the classic Roman pasta. It takes a slight twist on the presentation of the dish to give it a more dramatic, fun & playful way of eating it. As I said before, this is very classic which means NO CREAM. It is just pasta, cured pork, eggs & cheese. Just one bite of the dish and you'll realize why spaghetti alla carbonara has stood the test of time.

TT = to taste

Serves 6-8

1) 1# Spaghetti
2) 8 oz Guanciale or Pancetta 1/3 inch dice
3) 10 Sprigs of fresh thyme plus extra for garnish, pulled from the stem
4) 6-8 Eggs, separated
5) TT sea salt
6) 8T Fresh Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano plus extra for garnish
7) TT Fresh Ground Black Pepper
8) Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling

Method:

1) Bring 6 quarts water, and 2T sea salt to boil
2) Add guanciale to large sauté pan over med-low heat
3) Cook until guanciale is nice and crispy & fat has rendered, around 10 min
4) Add the thyme and stir together
5) Turn off the heat
6) When water is boiling drop pasta in batches
7) Cook pasta until al dente, 3 minutes
8) Transfer cooked pasta to sauté pan with the guanciale and thyme
9) Add the whites to the hot pasta making sure the pan is off the heat
10) Toss together
11) Stir in cheese
12) Season with salt & pepper
13) Transfer pasta to individual plates or bowls
14) Garnish with some more cheese, a little more thyme, 1 egg yolk per plate & fresh ground black pepper on top of the yolk
15) Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
16) Serve immediately