Rigatoni alla Gricia

Ingredients

• 400 grigatoni
• 200 gguanciale — cut into lardons
• 100 gPecorino Romano — grated
• 1 pinchblack pepper
• to tastefine sea salt

Method

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount of fine sea salt to the water, as this will season the rigatoni while it cooks. Add 400 g of rigatoni to the pot and cook until al dente, which means the pasta should be firm to the bite. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
2. While the pasta is cooking, cut 200 g of guanciale into small strips. In a wide pan, add the guanciale and cook over medium heat. The guanciale will render its fat and become golden and crispy. This process should release a rich aroma and the fat should become translucent.
3. Once the guanciale is crispy, remove it from the pan and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. If there is not enough fat, add a splash of good olive oil to ensure the pasta will be well coated later.
4. With the pan still on medium heat, return the cooked rigatoni to the pan with the rendered fat. Toss the pasta to coat it evenly in the fat, ensuring each piece is glistening.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to loosen the sauce. Toss the pasta continuously until the sauce lightly coats the rigatoni and has a silky texture.
6. Add 100 g of freshly grated Pecorino Romano to the pasta, tossing well to combine. The cheese should melt into the sauce, creating a creamy coating on the rigatoni.
7. Finish the dish with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste. Serve immediately, ensuring each plate has a generous portion of the crispy guanciale on top.