Only four ingredients carry this, so the guanciale and the pecorino have to be the genuine article. Everything then rides on temperature. Pull the pan off the burner before the eggs go in and slacken them with a little starchy pasta water. Keep the flame under them and you end up with scrambled eggs where the sauce should be.
By Vince Gonzalez · Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026
Prep10 min
Cook15 min
Makes2 servings
CuisineItalian
Cost$$$
Contains dairy · eggs · gluten
Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free pasta or noodle (check the other labels too).
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Cook for2servings
Spaghetti or rigatoni
The starch it sheds is what carries the sauce, so a bronze-die dry pasta grips better than cheap smooth extrusions.
Render the porkCut guanciale into short batons and render in a cold dry pan over medium until the fat runs clear and the edges crisp, about 6-8 min. Kill the heat.
Mix the baseWhisk 4 yolks with the grated pecorino and a heavy dose of cracked pepper into a thick paste.
Cook the pastaBoil the pasta in salted water until al dente, then reserve a full cup of the starchy water before draining.
Temper off heatOff the burner, add hot pasta to the pork fat, then stir in the yolk mix and a splash of pasta water. Toss hard until it turns glossy; add water a spoon at a time if it tightens.
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