START TO FINISH: 20 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
Gricia is one of the core Roman pasta dishes, built off the base of cacio e pepe (recipe here). Guanciale (cured pork cheek) is traditional for gricia, but we used more widely available pancetta. Bacon was too smoky.
Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. Likewise, grate the cheese on a wand-style grater and let the pasta cool before pouring the pecorino mixture on.
3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (3 cups), plus more to serve
12 ounces linguini or spaghetti
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet over medium, cook the pancetta until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper towel–lined plate; reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.
In a large saucepan, whisk 1½ cups cold water and the cornstarch until smooth. Add the pecorino and stir until evenly moistened. Set the pan over medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, until the cheese melts and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, whisk in reserved pancetta fat and set aside.
Stir the pasta and 2 tablespoons salt into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta very well. Return the pasta to the pot and let cool for about 1 minute.
Pour the pecorino mixture over the pasta and toss with tongs until combined, then toss in 2 teaspoons pepper and crisped pancetta. Let stand, tossing two or three times, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 3 minutes. The pasta should be creamy, but not loose. If needed, toss in reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time to adjust the consistency. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve with more pecorino and pepper on the side.