The origin of this typical Roman pasta dish is as recent as the Second World War. One story, which seems more the product of a fertile imagination than fact, tells of how American soldiers would go into Roman trattorie and order bacon and eggs with a side of pasta. They were served a sunny-side-up egg and pancetta (or more likely guanciale, cured pork jowl) and a plate of unseasoned spaghetti. When they mixed the two, Spaghetti alla Carbonara was born. Another story says that it was