Bucatini alla carbonara

In our younger days, Italian food novices then, we used to get carbonara and alfredo sauce mixed up. No longer - the former is definitely superior in our minds. No heavy cream and such, just noodles tossed with good garlic and olive oil, eggs and hearty bacon. The credit for our opening our eyes, and noses and mouths, to the dish goes to the Chicago restaurant Avec in the West Loop.

Avec serves their carbonara with bucatini and IT IS TO DIE FOR. Luscious strands of bucatini - thicker and rounder than spaghetti - and fatty cubes of housemade guanciale. Heaven.

Roger and I are trying to perfect our house recipe. Here is what we have so far:

BUCATINI ALLA CARBONARA
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, 1/4-inch thick slices, small strips (we usually can't find guanciale)
2 large eggs
1 pound dry bucatini
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper

Note: Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the bucatini will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.

1. Prepare the garlic by removing the skins - easily done by mashing the cloves with a garlic mushroom, the handle of a knife, or the bottom of a glass (Gen's favorite method). Do not chop, must mash sufficiently so you can smell the garlic.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic cloves until golden. Make sure the cloves do not burn.

3. Remove the garlic cloves and set aside - you can discard these or even eat them, they make a tasty amuse-bouche while you wait.

4. Add the pancetta and cook until slightly crisp along the edges. Lower the heat.

5. Cook the pasta until tender yet firm. Drain the pasta well.

6. Bring up the heat on the pancetta and olive oil to low-medium. Then add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

7. Beat the eggs and parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, folding quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble. (You can thin out the sauce with a bit of reserved pasta water, but we like it thick and sticky. Is that a proper cooking term?)

8. Season the carbonara with freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Serve, of course, with more cheese.