Roman pasta

I have a list, a literal list, of places I want to visit, and that list keeps getting longer. Yet, somehow, I find myself returning to Italy before visiting new places. This is in large part because I simply love the regional foods of Italy, and Rome is no exception. Give me some pasta with any of variations of the combination of guanciale and pecorino Romano, and I’m happy.

A couple years ago, I asked a fourteen year old boy who had just spent a week in Rome to tell me his five favorite things from his trip. For three of the five he described specific meals in detail.

My love for classic Roman pasta dishes connects in a weird way with the pandemic, specifically, the great bucatini shortage of 2020 (https://www.npr.org/2021/01/02/952806806/where-is-all-the-bucatini-behind-the-great-2020-shortage). Fortunately, I had a few pounds in reserve.

I recently found guanciale sourced from New Jersey, and made a bucatini alla gricia that almost tasted like we were in Rome.

Bucatini Alla Gricia

Course: Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 lb bucatini

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 8 oz guanciale cut into fine strips

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 cup freshly grated pecorino Roman

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Bring large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook to not quite al dente – still underdone. Drain. Reserve some cooking liquid.
• In large skillet with high sides, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the guanciale and cook, stirring until fat has rendered and guanciale is browned.
• Add the wine to the skillet, increase heat to medium-high, stir to deglaze pan, and cook long enough so that the alcohol burns off (you can use pasta water instead of wine for this step if you would like).
• Add the pasta and about ½ cup of cooking water to the skillet. Cook stirring constantly until a thick sauce forms. Add more water if necessary.
• Remove pan from heat and add the pecorino Romano. Mix well. Season with pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately, with extra cheese if desired.
• Artichokes work well as a side dish.