Authentic Roman Carbonara (Mezze Maniche)

Prepare the carbonara cream. Add pecorino, parmigiano, a little water, and rendered guanciale fat to the egg yolks, then pasteurize in a water bath (bagnomaria), heating to 67-68°C. It keeps for 2 days refrigerated and gives the same result every time.

Prepare the black pepper as a blend of three types: long pepper, Sarawak pepper, and Cambodian pepper. Sarawak brings the heat, Cambodian the delicacy, and long pepper a balsamic-like aroma; together the three balance the flavor.

Start by cooking the pasta. Drop the mezze maniche into boiling water with measured salt added, and take it out after 9-10 minutes, shorter than the package time (9-11 minutes). The last 2 minutes are finished in the pan.

Put the 70g of guanciale into a cold pan and set it over the heat without adding any oil at all. Let it render slowly in nothing but its own fat.

Cook the guanciale, turning it, until crisp. Once done, remove half for the finishing topping and stir-fry the other half with the pasta so it turns moist and tender.

If too much fat has rendered into the pan, remove some to adjust the amount. Since the cream also contains fat, leave only a small amount in the pan.

Transfer the cooked pasta into the pan with the guanciale, add the salty pasta water, and stir-fry for the remaining time. Any water added after this should be unsalted (the salt it needs is already there).

Once the liquid has almost all been absorbed and only a slight moisture remains on the bottom of the pan, add plenty of the toasted black pepper blend.

Reheat the prepared carbonara cream in a small pot with a little water, loosening it slightly to bring it back to a smooth state.

Add the hot pasta to the pot of cream and toss quickly. Emulsify while adding a little water, until it becomes very creamy. As it warms, the aroma of the pecorino comes through.

Plate it, scatter the reserved crispy guanciale on top, and finish with a grind of black pepper.