Ingredients:

- 200g guanciale (cured pork cheek)
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli pepper, finely chopped (optional, depending on your taste for heat)
- 1 can (400g) tomatoes (ideally San Marzano)
- 400g spaghetti
- Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Start by preparing the guanciale, which is an essential ingredient in Pasta all'Amatriciana. Slice it into thin strips. You can substitute pancetta or bacon, but guanciale is the traditional choice and provides a unique flavour.

2. In a large pan, add a little olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the guanciale and cook until it's crispy and has rendered its fat. Remove the guanciale with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the fat in the pan.

3. In the same pan, add the chopped onion and optional chilli pepper. Saute until the onion is soft and translucent. Avoid browning the onions - the goal is to gently sweat them for flavour.

4. Add the canned tomatoes to the pan. Crush the tomatoes with a spoon or spatula as they cook. Simmer the sauce for about 15-20 minutes. If you can find them, San Marzano tomatoes are ideal as they’re sweeter and less acidic than other varieties, making them perfect for this sauce. 

5. While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water. It's important to add enough salt to properly season the pasta. The water should taste like the sea.

6. Cook the pasta until it's al dente, which means it should still have a little bite. 

7. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. 

8. Add the cooked spaghetti and the crispy guanciale to the tomato sauce. Toss well to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce.

9. Season with black pepper and toss with a generous handful of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese. The cheese should melt into the hot pasta and sauce, adding a creamy texture. We always recommend avoiding pre-grated cheese - fresh is always best.

10. Serve your Pasta all'Amatriciana with additional grated Pecorino Romano cheese on the side.