Pasta with Guanciale, Artichokes and Pecorino

Method

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Clean the artichokes: remove tough outer leaves, remove the inner choke with a corer or small spoon, slice the artichokes into julienne. Cut the stem into small pieces; reserve some for the cream.
3. In a pan, render the guanciale over medium heat until crispy. Remove the guanciale and keep the fat in the pan.
4. Cook the pasta in the boiling water.
5. Deglaze the pan with a little pasta water, scraping up any browned bits.
6. Add the julienned artichokes and some of the stem pieces to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed.
7. Meanwhile, cook the reserved artichoke stem pieces in the pasta water until tender. Drain and blend them with a little pasta water to form a cream.
8. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the pan with the artichokes. Add the artichoke stem cream and toss off the heat with plenty of grated pecorino. Let it rest for about 2 minutes.
9. Plate the pasta. Grate additional pecorino on top and finish with the crispy guanciale.