Cook the spaghetti Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain.

Toast the peppercorns add the peppercorns to a dry skillet and toast until fragrant ( 3-4 minutes) then grind in a mortar or small food processor. Set aside

Cook the pancetta In the same pan While the pasta cooks, add the guanciale or pancetta to a cold skillet. Turn heat to medium and cook until crispy and golden, about 5–6 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Make the egg mixture In a bowl, whisk together eggs, Pecorino Romano, and a generous amount of black pepper.

Combine it all Add hot, drained pasta to the pan with pancetta (off heat). Toss to coat in the rendered fat.

Temper the eggs Slowly pour in the egg mixture while tossing quickly to prevent scrambling. Add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen and create a silky sauce. Keep tossing until glossy and creamy. Use more water if needed.

Finish & serve Plate immediately with extra Pecorino and black pepper on top.