No-Cream Carbonara

Directions

1. 1
   Get the spaghetti boiling in plenty of salted water.
2. 2
   Heat olive oil in pan over medium-high heat and fry the pancetta for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
3. 3
   Beat the egg lightly using a fork in another bowl.
4. 4
   When the pasta is cooked, drain it but put a bowl under the colander in order to retain some of the water; you may need that later.
5. 5
   Now return the pasta to the pan, and stir in first the pancetta with the hot oil, and then the beaten eggs. The egg will cook in the heat from the pasta, but here is where the flair comes in; you need to stir the egg into the mix so that it cooks into a cream and not hundreds of pieces of tiny omelette.
6. 6
   Add the cheese, and if the mixture is too dry, stir in a little of the cooking water from the pasta (no more than a spoonful). Cook until the cheese just starts to melt and the egg is still creamy.
7. 7
   Serve with coarse-ground black pepper.