Shelly's Recipe

SPAGHETTI ALLA GRICIA

Category: Pasta

Kosher salt
1 large red onion
6 ounces guanciale, cut into 1/4-inch-thick, 2-inch-long batons )substitute pancetta or even regular bacon)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fresh coarsely ground black pepper
12 ounces spaghetti
1 cup whole fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino romano, plus more for grating

Fill pasta pot with 6 quarts water, add 6 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cut onion in half, separate layers and cut each layer into petals that are 1 inch wide. Put onion in a large saute pan with 1 cup of water and big pinch of salt and cook over high heat until water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add guanciale and olive oil and cook over medium-high heat until guanciale is crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add another cup of water, pepper flakes and black pepper. Turn off heat while you cook the spaghetti.

Cook spaghetti according to package instruction until al dente. About a minute before pasta is done, place sauce over high heat. Lift pasta out of water and drain; reserve water. Add a cup of reserved water to the pan with the sauce. Cook pasta in sauce for 2 minutes, stirring with a rubber spatula or tongs, until well coated. Add a little more pasta water if pasta is dry and sticky instead of slippery and glistening. Turn off heat and stir in parsley.

Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino and stir to combine.

Divide pasta on 4 plates, spooning any sauce left in the pan on top. Serve with additional pecorino romano for grating. Serves 4.