INGREDIENTS
FOR 2 PEOPLE
250 g Rummo Mezzi Paccheri Rigati N°152
4 egg yolks
200 g cured pork cheek (guanciale)
100 g pecorino
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Cut the pork cheek into 1/2-centimeter strips. Combine the egg yolks with half of the pecorino, finally grated, and ground pepper, creating a creamy mixture. Cook the Mezzi Paccheri Rigati in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, fry the strips of pork cheek in a pan until golden brown. Remove from the grease, without throwing the melted fat away. Mix one spoonful of the pork fat into the egg yolk and pecorino mixture. Gently add a ladleful of the cooking water from the pasta to the pan with the remaining fat (being careful not to splatter the hot grease) and transfer the pasta, once cooked, into the same pan using a slotted spoon. (Don’t throw away the pasta water.) Finish cooking the pasta, by sautéing for 3 minutes. Working quickly, blend a spoonful of cooking water with the egg yolk and cheese combination. Pour the resulting mixture into the pan with the pasta. Stir until creamy. Finally, add the golden pieces of pork cheek, the rest of the pecorino cheese, grated, and some black pepper. Serve garnished with a few extra strips of crispy pork and freshly grated pepper to taste.