This warming, lightly spicy pasta from the village of Amatrice is a direct evolution of the Gricia, you’re essentially just adding tomatoes to make this classic.
As always, as this is a hyper traditional regional dish, there are rules to follow, stories to tell and there are plenty of subtle variations that grandmothers of the world could come up with through the ages of pasta cooking: garlic or onion, or none? Sear the guanciale or cook all together? Parmigiano or Pecorino to finish? Basil or Parsley? Here I am offering you my favorite version, prepared with a crispy seared guanciale and a good measure of spice!
You can give this dish a more summery feel by using heirloom cherry tomatoes cut into quarters rather than pureed canned tomatoes, but remember it should still be served hot, never at room temperature.