Option 1 Recipe

Choose your preferred soft drink (cola, lemon-lime, iced tea, soda, etc.). Fill a glass with ice if desired, pour one serving of the soft drink over ice, and garnish with a lemon or lime wedge if using. Keep chilled while preparing the pasta.

Boil pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add kosher salt (about 1 tsp). Cook 200 g pasta until just shy of al dente (follow package but subtract 1–2 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

Toast pepper

While pasta cooks, heat a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the freshly ground black pepper and toast briefly (30–45 seconds) until aromatic. Remove from heat.

Make the sauce

Add about 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet with pepper and return to low heat. Stir in 60 g finely grated Pecorino Romano gradually, whisking or vigorously stirring to create a creamy emulsion. If the mixture is too thick or clumpy, add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time. Stir in 1 tbs butter if using, to enrich and smooth the sauce.

Combine

Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes to coat thoroughly; use tongs to help the cheese emulsify into a silky sauce. Adjust seasoning with more pepper and a pinch of salt if needed. Serve immediately.

Prepare guanciale

Cut 100 g guanciale into 1/2 cm strips. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbs olive oil if the guanciale is very lean, then add the guanciale. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp at the edges (5–8 minutes). If using chili flakes, add them near the end to bloom for 10–20 seconds.

Add tomatoes

Carefully add 1 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes to the skillet with the rendered guanciale. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently 8–10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt (taste and adjust—guanciale and pecorino are salty).

Cook pasta & finish

While sauce simmers, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 200 g pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, adding a splash of pasta water as needed to loosen and coat. Remove from heat and stir in 40 g grated Pecorino Romano. Serve immediately.

Start sauce

Heat 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves and sauté gently until fragrant and lightly golden (about 1 minute). Do not burn the garlic.

Add tomatoes

Add 1 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes to the skillet, stir, reduce heat to low, and simmer 8–10 minutes until slightly reduced. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Tear in fresh basil leaves toward the end of cooking to infuse their aroma.

Cook pasta & combine

Cook 200 g pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain. Add pasta to the sauce, tossing over medium heat for 1–2 minutes and adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a glossy coating. Remove from heat and serve topped with 20 g grated parmesan or pecorino if desired and a few extra basil leaves.