Spaghetti alla Gricia

How to prepare spaghetti alla gricia

1. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water. Cook according to the time on the package.
2. Meanwhile, grate the pecorino cheese using a fine grater. Add the pepper (coarsely ground if possible) and mix. Set aside 1 heaping tablespoon of this mixture (you'll use it for garnishing).
3. Cut the guanciale into small cubes and place them in a pan (without adding any fat) over low heat and fry until golden. Once it releases some fat into the pan, you can increase the heat to medium. In the end, the cubes will be crispy and you'll have about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
4. When the pasta is cooked, take 50ml of pasta water in a small cup. Add the water to the pan, over the guanciale. Bring to a boil.
6. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan. Mix well. Remove the pan from heat.
7. Add the cheese with pepper and toss using 2 forks until the cheese is melted.
8. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the reserved cheese.

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