Ingredients

• 400g/14oz spaghetti
• 175g/6¼oz piece smoked pancetta
• rind removed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• handful flatleaf parsley leaves
• finely chopped
• 3 large free-range eggs
• beaten
• 50g/1¾oz pecorino sardo maturo (mature Sardinian pecorino)
• finely grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• to taste

Directions

• Bring 4.5 litres/8 pints water to the boil in a large saucepan with eight teaspoons salt. Add the spaghetti and cook for nine minutes
• or until al dente.
• Meanwhile
• cut the pancetta into lardons (short little strips)
• about 6mm/1¼in wide.
• Heat a large
• deep frying pan over a medium-high heat
• add the oil and the pancetta and fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few seconds
• then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Drain the spaghetti well
• tip into the frying pan with the pancetta
• garlic and parsley
• add the beaten eggs and half the grated pecorino cheese and toss together well.
• Season to taste with a little salt and black pepper. The heat from the spaghetti will be sufficient to partly cook the egg
• but still leave it moist and creamy. Take to the table and serve in warmed pasta bowls
• sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.