Prep Ahead: Make the bucatini up to 5 days ahead of time and the guanciale up to a week ahead of time. Keep both refrigerated in airtight containers.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the pasta, quickly return to a boil, and cook until tender yet firm, 2 to 7 minutes, depending on how long it has been refrigerated (or 8 to 9 minutes for the boxed stuff). Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat 4 teaspoons of the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the guanciale and cook until crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the tomatoes and pepper flakes and break up with tongs. Add the wine and 2 cups pasta water and boil until the sauce reduces in volume and thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
Add the drained bucatini to the pan along with 1 cup of the pecorino, the parsley and the remaining olive oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper, tossing until the sauce is creamy. If the sauce gets too thick, add more pasta water.
Divide among warm pasta bowls and garnish with the remaining 1 cup pecorino.
½ cup olive oil
8 oz. shortcut guanciale, cut into ½-inch cubes
4 peeled whole plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano if canned
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups grated pecorino cheese
4 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
This article appears in March 2012.