Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add salt carefully before cooking the pasta. Properly salted water gives the pasta better flavor and helps create delicious authentic carbonara taste from the beginning.

Add spaghetti or rigatoni into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Slightly firm pasta works best because it continues cooking gently once mixed with the warm creamy carbonara sauce later.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, grated Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. The mixture should look thick and creamy. This simple combination creates the silky carbonara sauce without using heavy cream or butter.

Heat olive oil inside a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook slowly until crispy and golden brown. The rendered fat adds deep savory flavor while creating the delicious base for the pasta dish.

Before draining the pasta, reserve about one cup of hot pasta water. This starchy water helps loosen the sauce later while creating smooth creamy texture. Never skip this step because it makes a huge difference in consistency.

Drain the cooked pasta and immediately add it into the skillet with crispy pancetta. Toss everything together gently so the pasta becomes coated in flavorful oil and savory pancetta pieces while still remaining hot from cooking.

Remove the skillet from direct heat before adding the egg mixture carefully. Toss quickly using tongs so the eggs become creamy instead of scrambled. The residual heat cooks the sauce gently while keeping it smooth and silky.

Add small splashes of reserved pasta water while tossing continuously. This helps create glossy restaurant-style sauce that coats every pasta strand beautifully. Continue mixing until the carbonara becomes creamy, rich, smooth and perfectly balanced.

Transfer the hot carbonara into serving bowls immediately after mixing. Top with extra Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh parsley and more black pepper if desired. Serve quickly while warm because carbonara tastes best fresh from the skillet.