Food Ingredients Pasta + Noodles Bucatini with Pancetta, Pecorino and Pepper 4.0 (1,145) 3 Reviews "I love knowing that I have leftovers in the refrigerator," says Shelley Lindgren. She'll often make pasta during the day—like this rich, pancetta-studded bucatini that's tossed with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and Pecorino—and then reheat a big bowl of it when she comes home from work late at night. More Pasta Recipes By Shelley Lindgren Updated on August 4, 2017 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: © John Kernick Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 1 pound bucatini, perciatelli or thick spaghetti 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 ounces pancetta, sliced 1/2 inch thick and cut into 1-inch-long pieces (1 cup) 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Salt Directions In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the pancetta pieces and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the meat is lightly browned and most of the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bucatini to the skillet and toss over moderate heat to coat with the fat and pancetta. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, the 1 1/4 cups of Pecorino cheese and the pepper and season with salt. Toss the pasta until the sauce becomes very thick and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes; add more of the cooking water if necessary. Serve immediately, passing additional cheese at the table. Suggested Pairing The rich sauce that coats this pasta pairs best with a red wine that has substantial tannins to help cut through the fat; conveniently, that describes most Southern Italian red grape varieties. Negroamaro, the main grape in Apulia's Salice Salentino wines, is a case in point. Originally appeared: April 2007 Rate It Print