Modern carbonara with bacon, garlic and bucatini

Grate Parmesan and Romano into a bowl and beat in three eggs, one yolk and a few twists of black pepper.

Slice the thick-cut bacon into big chunks and start it in a cold nonstick pan to render out as much fat as possible.

When the bacon is cooked, strain off all but about two tablespoons of fat and return the pan to medium-low heat.

Saute the garlic one minute until fragrant, then kill the heat.

Boil the bucatini, adding it to the water by hand rather than straight from the box.

Add the pasta to the pan with about a third of a cup of starchy pasta water, then the egg and cheese mixture; if the pan is too small, toss in the emptied pasta pot, agitating constantly so the eggs do not scramble.

Taste, season with salt and pepper, and check the thickness; a thin sauce can be rescued with a little more finely grated Parmesan.