Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, finely grate 3 ounces Parmesan cheese (3/4 packed cup), or measure out 1 cup store-bought grated. Place 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon honey in a small bowl and stir until combined. Finely chop 3 garlic cloves. Thinly slice 2 medium scallions. Cook the pancetta.
2. Dice 8 ounces pancetta. Place the pancetta and 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until starting to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is browned and crisp, 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate. Remove all but 1/4 cup of the fat in the pan. (If you have less than that, add more oil to get 1/4 cup.)
3. Add the garlic and scallions to the pan. Cook over medium heat until the garlic starts to brown and the scallions are tender, about 1 minute. Add the gochujang mixture and cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until starting to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. Add 1 pound dry spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until just al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place 4 room temperature large egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Add the Parmesan, a pinch of kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper. Whisk until combined.
5. When the spaghetti is ready, turn off the heat, then transfer it directly to the skillet with tongs. It’s OK if some water clings to the pasta. Add 1/4 cup pasta water to the skillet and toss until the pasta is well-coated and most of the water and fat in the pan have been absorbed.
6. While tossing the pasta constantly, slowly start pouring the egg mixture into the skillet, pouring into the center over the pasta and not around the edges. Add the pancetta and continue tossing until the sauce coats the pasta. If the sauce is too thin and not coating, turn the heat on to the lowest setting and cook, tossing constantly, until thickened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Make sure to move the skillet around so any hot spots on the burner don’t scramble the eggs. If the pasta looks dry, toss in more pasta water 1/4 cup at a time.
7. Turn off the heat. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Transfer to a large bowl or individual serving bowls and serve immediately with more grated Parmesan cheese and a few grinds of pepper on top if desired.