Spaghetti Carbonara with Bacon

In a bowl, combine the whole egg, egg yolks, freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk until smooth and set aside.

Chop the bacon into small pieces. Add the bacon to a large, cold skillet.

While preparing the bacon, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.

Cook the bacon over medium heat until it's crisp but still has rendered fat. Add a drizzle of olive oil.

Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant.

Before draining the pasta, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

Using tongs, transfer the cooked spaghetti directly into the skillet with the bacon and garlic, allowing some pasta water to drip in.

Add about a cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet and toss everything together.

Turn off the heat completely. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta.

Immediately and vigorously toss the pasta to combine. The residual heat from the pasta and the pan will cook the egg mixture into a creamy sauce without scrambling it.

If the sauce is too thick, add more reserved pasta water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Serve immediately with more grated cheese and black pepper if desired.