Spaghetti alla Carbonara

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt. Drop the pasta into the boiling water.

2. Slice pancetta in to 1 inch strips. In sauté pan with extra-virgin olive oil, place pancetta and cook over medium-high heat until the pancetta has rendered some of its fat and is lightly browned.

3. Crack 6 eggs into large serving bowl. Separate 3 eggs, adding the whites to the 6 cracked whole eggs. Set aside the yolks in their shells on a bed of salt.

4. Whisk the eggs well. Add the grated Pecorino Romano and whisk together.

5. Stir pancetta and add small ladle of pasta water to slow down the cooking. Allow pancetta to cool for a minute and add another small ladle of pasta water.

6. Take a ladle of beaten eggs and stir it into the pan with the pancetta and pasta water. Working quickly, stir the egg pancetta mixture and as soon as the eggs start to thicken and set just slightly, add them to the rest of the room temperature beaten egg mixture. Whisk furiously for 30 seconds to combine the two mixtures.

7. When pasta is al dente, drain the pasta (reserving the pasta water). Add the pasta to the egg mixture, stirring and tossing well to coat approx 30 seconds. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano and mix well again. Add the pepper and stir along with another ladle of pasta water to loosen the sauce a bit and further cook the eggs.

8. Gently drop the 3 egg yolks into pasta. Add more of the grated cheeses and pepper on top. Bring the dish to the table. Just before serving, stir the yolks into the pasta so they will cook. Serve the pasta and finish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper.

Recipe courtesy of Mario Batali Cooks!