1-pound thick spaghetti, dry
1 bottle red wine-table wine-not too dry
1-tsp sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ pound pancetta, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup flat leafed parsley, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup freshly grated Italian table cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling on the finished pasta
- Fill a large cooking pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add 2 Tbs of kosher salt and the dry spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes (pasta will not be fully cooked). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain pasta in colander and return empty pot to stovetop. Dry it with a towel if wet.
- Heat oil in the dry pasta pot. Add the pancetta pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain.
- Add the crushed red pepper and the garlic to the fat in the pot and cook over low heat. Cook the garlic until it begins to turn light brown on the edges, about 2 minutes.
- Add the bottle of wine and the sugar to the garlic in the pot, raise the heat and boil vigorously 2 minutes.
- Add the partially cooked pasta. Gently stir with tongs until coated and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the wine is absorbed, about 6 minutes (pasta will be al dente). Use some of the reserved pasta water if the pan becomes dry.
- Add the chopped parsley, grated cheese, the salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with the reserved pancetta. Serve immediately.