Spaghetti with Guanciale and Pecorino (Pasta alla Gricia)

To make this minimalist pasta dish, we employ the same unconventional technique we use to make cacio e pepe, another Roman classic. Our pasta alla gricia is a one-pan affair that utilizes the starch released by the pasta as it cooks to create a lightly thickened sauce that clings to the noodles. Because the starch is a key ingredient, it’s important to seek out bronze-cut spaghetti. This variety has been extruded through a bronze die that leaves the strands with a rough, floury surface instead of the smooth sheen of inexpensive pasta. (Widely available DeCecco is “bronze drawn” and works in this recipe, as do premium brands such as Rustichella d’Abruzzo.) Guanciale is cured pork cheek. It's meatier and saltier than pancetta, and purists would not make pasta alla gricia without it. Look for guanciale in Italian markets, but if pancetta is the only option, it still will yield delicious results.