Feasting before the Rome derby, episode II

Last time we did this it preceded a great result over Lazio in the derby, so we thought we'd try again. In November, we had Spaghetti all'Amatriciana, with house-made pancetta from the Timbercreek Market. This time, we had Pasta alla Gricia, which is sometimes called "white Amatriciana" because it is a very similar sauce except made without tomatoes. It's best made with guanciale, but I couldn't find any locally so I went with the Timbercreek pancetta again.

We all really liked it, though the pasta tasting was overshadowed by Dylan scarfing eight of Katherine Redford's Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert, which is the most I've ever seen anyone devour in one sitting (though apparently it's not all that uncommon for Dylan). Glad you liked the cookies, son.

And it looks like a tradition is born, as Roma followed up our pre-game feast with another resounding victory (4-1 this time) over our hated city rivals. Forza Giallorossi!

Spelt spaghetti alla Gricia with Onion

Pasta alla Gricia

Adapted from Rachel Eats

As with Pasta all'Amatriciana, there is some controversy over whether to add onion to the dish, though most recipes leave it out. If you want to try it with onion, dice a small onion (or a medium shallot or two), and sauté the pieces along with the guanciale and oil.

2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 pound rigatoni or spaghetti
150 grams (5¼ ounces) guanciale or pancetta, cut into short, thick batons
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (~50 grams grated on a Microplane) grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, extra for serving

    1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a roiling boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the salt and stir to dissolve. Add the pasta and stir immediately, then stir again a few more times in the first minute or two. Cook until al dente, then drain, reserving a large mugful of the pasta water.
    2. Meanwhile, place the guanciale in a sauté pan or saucier with the oil and set the pan over medium heat. Sauté the guanciale gently, adjusting the heat as needed, until it has rendered its fat and is soft, pink, and translucent, not brown and crisp. Remove 2 tablespoons of the fat to a small bowl, add half of the cheese, and smear them together until the cheese is coated with the fat. Add ¼ cup (a 2-ounce ladleful) of pasta water to the pan, and let it bubble gently while the pasta finishes cooking.
    3. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss well to coat with the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese-fat mixture and black pepper, and toss again, adding more pasta water as needed to reach a creamy consistency. Serve promptly, passing the remaining cheese and a pepper mill at the table. Serves 4.