Smoked cheese mafaldine 'carbonara'

Cook the pasta according to pack instructions in well-salted water, then drain into a colander, being sure to retain some of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, grate the cheese as best you can (it’s quite crumbly). Put ¾ (three quarters) of it in a mixing bowl with the beaten eggs and mix to form a paste. Season with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and a little salt (though bear in mind that the cheese and pasta are already seasoned).

Return the drained pasta to its original pan along with 2-3 tbsp of the reserved cooking water.  Remove from the heat and add the egg mixture to the pan. Working quickly, mix until the pasta is well coated and the sauce has thickened slightly.  Serve immediately with the reserved grated cheese and a crack of black pepper.