Spaghetti alla Carbonara is one of my favourite fall-back meals when there is nothing else to eat in the fridge. All you really need is some dried pasta, cured pork, good cheese and a fresh egg to pull off a delightfully rich and satisfying meal. It’s one of those dishes where less is more, so forget about making an involved cream sauce.

50 gramsPecorino Romano (grated)

1 largepasteurized egg

2 tablespoonsolive oil

ground black pepper (to taste)

170 gramsGuanciale (Pancetta or Bacon will also work)

170 gramsspaghetti (boiled according to package directions)

2 eggs slow cooked (optional)

Boil a large pot of well salted water, then cook the pasta according to the package directions. For dried spaghetti I usually boil the noodles for 8 minutes rather than the 9 recommended on the package to ensure they are al dente.
Combine the Pecorino, egg, olive oil and black pepper in a large bowl and whisk together until the mixture is smooth and there are no clumps of egg whites.
Chop the Guanciale into batons and add to a pan over medium high heat and fry until cooked through.
Drain the pasta (do not rinse), then immediately dump it into the egg mixture. It's important that the pasta be very hot, otherwise the egg mixture won't thicken into a sauce. Add the fried Guanciale and toss to coat evenly. Plate your Spaghetti Carbonara and top with a slow cooked egg.