Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.

Add the guanciale or pancetta to a cold saucier and set over medium heat. Cook slowly until the fat has rendered and the meat is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the saucier. Don't rush this step—the fat needs time to render. Too much heat will burn the meat before enough fat has been released.

Once the pancetta has been removed from the saucier, add the bucatini to the boiling salted water. Cook until just shy of al dente. Before draining, reserve some of the pasta cooking water.

Add the passata to the rendered fat, followed by the red pepper flakes, if using. Using a spatula, pull the rendered fat from around the edges of the saucier into the passata, stirring until it is fully incorporated. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Using tongs, transfer the bucatini directly from the pasta water to the saucier with the sauce. Toss well to coat, then cook over low heat for 2–3 minutes, allowing the pasta to finish cooking and absorb some of the sauce.

Add the reserved pancetta back to the saucier, reserving a small amount for garnish. Toss with the bucatini until evenly distributed.

Remove the saucier from the heat before adding the Pecorino Romano. This is important—the residual heat is enough to melt the cheese into the sauce. If the saucier is too hot, the cheese can clump or stick to the saucier instead of coating the pasta. Add the Pecorino and toss vigorously, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time as needed, until the sauce is smooth and clings to the bucatini.

Give the bucatini a final toss, adding a small amount of reserved pasta water if needed to keep the sauce loose and glossy. Plate immediately and finish with the reserved pancetta and additional Pecorino Romano.