Cheek continued

 

Finally I made  bucatini all'amatriciana. It was so good we ate it twice in one week. I admit it just looks like some spaghetti with tomato sauce and cheese but it is so much more. And the key ingredient is good fatty cheek - guanciale.

Cheeky

Just look at this beauty - what is it? A pork jowl, more than a cheek, skin, meat and best of all fat, from the ear to the snout. Pigs store fat in their cheeks and the former owner of this jowl did that, and very well too. Here it is flipped over  -

Still Hot & Humid

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Shuck your peas, dice some  pancetta and a shallot. Add your pasta to your pot, and while it's cooking heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Cook the pancetta and shallot gently, add the peas and about 125 ml of chicken stock and simmer until just cooked.
By now your pasta should be ready skim off some of the froth from the pasta water, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the pan with the froth (it's starch), stir together and season with salt and pepper. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese - a perfect dinner for a hot evening.