Bucatini all'Amatriciana — The Tube That Holds the Soul

1. 01

   Render the guanciale

   Cut the guanciale into thick matchsticks — don't mince it. Drop it into a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Watch it. The fat will start to weep almost immediately; the meat will begin to crisp at the edges. This takes about 8-10 minutes. You're listening for the crackle, smelling for the salt-pork smoke. Don't walk away.

   ~10 min
2. 02

   Deglaze with wine

   When the guanciale is golden and the fat is clear, pour in the white wine. It'll hiss and steam. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift the sticky bits. Let it bubble away for 2-3 minutes until you can't smell the alcohol anymore — the wine should taste like sweet tomato broth, not vinegar.

   ~5 min
3. 03

   Crush in the tomatoes

   Pour the tinned tomatoes into your palm and crush them with your hand over the pan — let the pieces fall into the fat and wine. Stir. Add the pinch of chilli. The sauce should smell like Amatrice in August even though it's freezing outside. Let it murmur, not boil — medium-low heat.

   ~15 min
4. 04

   Cook the bucatini

   Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil — the water should taste like the sea. Snap in the bucatini (it will fall into the pot and soften as it sinks). Cook until al dente — it should have a tiny bite in the centre. This is usually 1-2 minutes under the packet time. Taste it. When it's ready, drain it but keep a mug of pasta water close.

   ~8 min
5. 05

   Toss and marry

   Tip the hot bucatini into the guanciale sauce. Toss. If it looks dry, add a splash of pasta water — the starch will help the sauce cling. You want the hollow tubes to drink the red liquid, not swim in it. Toss for 30 seconds until the pasta is coated and the guanciale is distributed evenly.

   ~2 min
6. 06

   Finish and plate

   Divide into bowls. Grate a generous amount of Pecorino over the top — I mean generous, enough that you see more cheese than pasta at first. Crack black pepper over each bowl. The heat from the pasta will melt the cheese and make it sink into the sauce. Eat it immediately. There's no waiting in Amatrice.

   ~2 min

First bite: the crackle of guanciale between your teeth, the salt singing, the fat coating your mouth. Middle: the Pecorino turns sharp and creamy at once, the tomato becomes almost sweet against the umami of the cheese and pork. Last bite: the cheese has melted into the sauce, the bucatini is soft but still holding itself, and you're already reaching for the bread to wipe the bowl. Your eyes will close.

• ·Don't mince the guanciale — thick matchsticks give you crackle. Minced, it's just greasy dust.
• ·Taste the pasta water before you drain it. If it doesn't taste like soup, you're not salting enough.
• ·Pecorino doesn't melt smoothly like Parmigiano — it gets creamy and breaks slightly. That's correct. Embrace it.