I was somewhere around a “Sleeping Dogs” playthrough, on the edge of a recording session, when the hunger began to take hold. Taking to the kitchen in a sleep driven stupor, one phrase rang in my head endlessly: “You must make pasta.” In a rapid fusion of tomato, basil, cheese and pancetta, a dish was created. Devoured in a hurry, I rushed back to my PC, finished “Sleeping Dogs” and went to bed thinking nothing of it.

Weeks later, preparing for having a friend over, the call once again rang in my head, the cries for tomato and pork continuing; “You must make pasta.”

And thus, the urge to perfect this dish began. Hours of cooking and workshopping, all over pasta. And for what? A simple meal?

I stand now at the mountaintop, looking down at the heights I climbed to get here. This is a meal I have now sworn by, and still I seek perfection further – tinkering away to make this pasta truly flawless. However, this is the most current, and in my opinion, best iteration. And the greatest thing I can do is share this recipe with you, for you to expand upon when the cry to make pasta echoes in your head.

Serves 2

Spaghetti

¼ tsp salt

14 oz. Crushed tomatoes

5 oz. Diced pancetta

⅛ tsp Garlic powder (to taste)

⅛ tsp Black pepper (to taste)

Basil (to taste)

Pecorino romano cheese (to taste)

1. In a saucepot, combine the crushed tomatoes, pepper, garlic powder and basil. Stir and let simmer for about fifteen minutes.
2. While the sauce is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta for ten minutes, or to your desired doneness. Stir to keep the pasta from sticking together. Drain the pasta, saving about ¼ cup of pasta water to use in the sauce. Wait to drain the pasta until everything is ready to be combined.
3. In a pan, fry the pancetta at medium heat until the fat renders off and the meat is cooked but not crispy. Drain most of the fat, with a little left to incorporate into the sauce.
4. Incorporate the rendered fat and pasta water into the sauce along with the pancetta and pasta. Stir until everything has fused together well. Plate with a sprinkling of pecorino romano cheese, pepper and basil leaves.