Roman Pasta alla Gricia

Ingredients

• 14 oz Pasta (Mezze maniche or Spaghetti) ((400g))
• 4 oz Guanciale ((120g))
• 6 oz Pecorino Romano *see notes ((170g))
• Black pepper

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, trim the thick skin off the guanciale and cut it into medium-sized strips (photo 1)

3. 3

   Heat a large pan on a low-medium heat and add the guanciale. Fry until the guanciale is golden and crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave around 2 tablespoons of guanciale fat in the pan and pour the rest into a bowl, just in case you need extra. Turn the pan off the heat (photos 2-4).

4. 4

   Next, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 2 minutes under the packet instructions.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, finely grate the pecorino cheese into a bowl and add a generous amount of black pepper. Remove some pasta water from the pot and add it to the grated cheese whilst whisking until a thick paste forms. Set aside (photos 5 and 6).

6. 6

   When the pasta is al dente, add it to the pan with the guanciale fat and turn the heat back on to medium. Add a splash of pasta water (around 1/2 cup/125ml) and stir the pasta until the pasta water has thickened slightly (2-3 minutes).

7. 7

   Next, turn the heat off and add the cheese paste. Stir vigorously until creamy and emulsified (tossing it in the pan also helps at this point) (photos 7 and 8).

8. 8

   Serve in bowls topped with the crispy guanciale.