Pasta alla Gricia (Roman Guanciale Pecorino Black Pepper Pasta)

Cut 120 g guanciale into long strips about 5 mm wide, and grate 60 g Pecorino Romano as finely as possible.

Keep the cheese loose and dry, because coarse shreds clump instead of melting into the sauce.

Set the guanciale in a cold pan over low heat and cook for about 8 minutes.

Let the fat turn clear and the edges crisp slowly, lowering the heat if the pieces brown too quickly.

Cook 200 g spaghetti in salted water with 1 teaspoon salt until 1 minute shy of al dente.

Before draining, reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water so the sauce can loosen without becoming watery.

Add the drained spaghetti to the guanciale pan with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water.

Toss over medium low heat for about 1 minute until the fat and water look glossy and lightly emulsified.

Turn off the heat, or reduce it to the lowest setting, then add the Pecorino and 1 teaspoon black pepper in batches.

Toss quickly with tongs so the cheese melts gradually instead of cooking into lumps.

If the sauce feels too thick, add the remaining pasta water a spoonful at a time until it coats the noodles thinly.

Serve immediately while the guanciale stays crisp and the sauce is glossy.