Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Typically, I don't salt the pasta water for Carbonara since guanciale adds enough salt. If you’re using pancetta or bacon, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the water. Reserve a little bit of pasta water in case you need to thin out the sauce.

Cut the guanciale into cubes. Place it in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. For crispy guanciale, cook until it sizzles and reaches your desired crispiness.

Once cooked to your liking, transfer the guanciale to a plate lined with paper towels using a slotted spoon. Keep the rendered fat in the skillet and set aside off the heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly ground black pepper until smooth and slightly thick. The sauce should be creamy and well combined.

Cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and immediately add the rigatoni to the skillet with the guanciale fat over medium heat, allowing the pasta to sizzle briefly.

Turn off the heat. Quickly add the egg and cheese mixture to the pasta, tossing rapidly with tongs to ensure even coating and prevent the fresh eggs from scrambling.

Return the crispy guanciale to the skillet and toss to combine with the pasta and sauce.

Serve the Carbonara immediately, ensuring each plate has a generous amount of sauce and guanciale. Enjoy!