Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium. Add diced bacon and cook, stirring until crispy and golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove most of the bacon, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan. Set the crispy bacon aside.

Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté in the bacon fat for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.

Pour in the heavy cream and bring it just to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low.

Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts into a smooth sauce. If the sauce looks too thick, whisk in a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.

Taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper, keeping in mind that Parmesan is salty.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat every strand with sauce. Fold in the crispy bacon, adding more reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.

Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra grated cheese if desired.