Gather your mise en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Using a chef’s knife, cut the guanciale into lardons or cubes that are roughly ½ inch by ½ inch.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Salt the water, once dissolved, add the pasta and cook until just before it becomes al dente, – al chiodio. Drain, reserving the cooking water.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the guanciale and cook, stirring until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

Add the white wine and cook until the alcohol aroma dissipates, about a minute more.

Add a small ladle of the reserved pasta water to the skillet with the guanciale and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and another small ladle of its cooking water to the pan with the guanciale.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring vigorously, until a thick sauce forms, adding more pasta water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Season to taste.

Remove the skillet from the heat, add ¾ cup of the cheese and a few pinches of pepper – mix thoroughly. Plate and sprinkle each portion with some of the remaining cheese and pepper to taste. Serve immediately