One pot bacon carbonara

Cut each bacon slab in half, then each half in half longwise, then cut the strips into roughly even squares.

Grate the Parmigiano and Pecorino on the feather shred side of a box grater into a mixing bowl.

Crack the whole eggs into the cheese, then separate in the nine yolks.

Add the cracked black pepper and the cornstarch.

Set a dutch oven over medium heat, add a squiggle of olive oil, the diced bacon and about half a cup of water.

Bring to a hard simmer and cook down about five minutes until the water has evaporated and the bacon fat is rendered out.

Fry the bacon in its own fat 5 to 10 more minutes over medium heat, stirring every minute or so, until reddish brown and just starting to crisp at the edges.

Take the pot off the heat, move the bacon and fat to a bowl and pour off about two thirds of the fat, leaving about three tablespoons.

Break the spaghetti in half.

Return the pot to high heat, add the water and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze the browned bacon bits.

Bring to a ripping boil, add the salt and the halved spaghetti, pushing it under with tongs, then turn to medium low, cover and set a timer for 10 minutes.

At about five minutes, stir and flip the noodles so they do not stick, then re-cover.

Taste for doneness at 10 minutes; just past al dente, tender but not soggy.

Ladle a cup and a half to two cups of the hot cooking liquid into the egg cheese bowl and whisk right away to temper it.

Pour the egg cheese slurry over the spaghetti, add the bacon and the three tablespoons of reserved fat and stir to combine.

Move the pot back to a very low burner and fold the pasta over with tongs, bringing the warm from the bottom, one to two minutes until steamy and thickened but not thick.

Plate the noodles, top with 10 to 12 pieces of bacon, garnish with grated Parmesan or Pecorino and a few cranks of black pepper.