Slice guanciale into batons, removing the hard outer edge.
Add the guanciale to a sauté pan and sauté until brown but not too crunchy. When done, remove meat from the pan and set aside on a pepper towel, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Bring pasta water to a boil and add salt.
When boiling, add the Rigatoni to the boiling water and stir regularly until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, grate the Pecorino Romano cheese and place in a small bowl.
Add a ladle of pasta water to cheese and stir it to make a sauce.
Add water to the pan with rendered fat and stir to make creamy emulsion.
Add the al dente pasta to the pan, stirring and add more pasta water if needed to maintain a sauce consistency.
Take the pan off the fire and add cheese to the pan and mix thoroughly, like Cacio e Pepe.
Add the cooked guanciale back to pan and add ground black pepper.
