Classic & Modern Italian Carbonara

Slice and dice 225g of guanciale into thick, bite-sized cubes until evenly sized.

Crack 3 large eggs and add 1 extra egg yolk into a measuring cup or medium bowl.

Finely grate 57g of Pecorino Romano cheese and 57g of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into a bowl until light and fluffy.

Pour beaten eggs over grated cheeses, add 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and beat vigorously with a fork until a smooth, thick paste forms.

Place diced guanciale into a cold skillet, set heat to medium, and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes until fat renders out and guanciale becomes crispy and golden brown.

Drop 225g spaghetti into a large pot of boiling water salted with 1 tbsp salt. Stir occasionally with tongs for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta is cooked al dente.

Turn off heat under guanciale pan. Use tongs to transfer hot cooked spaghetti directly from pot into sauté pan and toss until all noodles are coated evenly in pork fat.

Immediately pour egg and cheese paste over hot pasta off the heat. Agitate continuously and vigorously with tongs for 1 to 2 minutes until residual heat emulsifies eggs into a smooth, thick, glossy cream. Add 50ml reserved starchy pasta water if sauce needs smoothing.

Twirl traditional carbonara with a large fork onto a platter, spoon crispy guanciale chunks and remaining pan sauce over the top.

For Modern Carbonara: finely grate 56g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into a bowl with 3 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tsp black pepper. Whisk until uniform.

Slice 225g of thick-cut bacon into large, 1/2-inch wide pieces.

Add chopped bacon into a cold non-stick skillet over medium heat. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes until bacon turns golden crisp and liquid fat is rendered out.

Pour hot rendered bacon fat through a fine strainer into a glass bowl, retaining all crispy bacon and leaving only 2 tbsp of fat inside the pan.

Press 3 cloves of garlic directly into bacon pan. Set heat to medium-low and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and softened, then turn off heat.

Boil 225g bucatini in salted boiling water with 1 tbsp salt for 9 to 11 minutes until al dente. Use tongs to move noodles directly into bacon pan, then add 50ml starchy pasta water.

Pour modern egg-cheese mixture into bucatini. If pan is crowded, dump all ingredients into warm empty pasta pot and toss rapidly for 1 to 2 minutes off heat until sauce turns silky and creamy. If sauce is thin, stir in 7g extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Transfer bucatini carbonara into a deep serving bowl, spooning crispy bacon chunks and light sauce over the pasta.