Non-VegetarianLaziale cuisine Main Course

Pasta alla Gricia

Name: Pasta alla Gricia
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Laziale
Ingredients: 400 g rigatoni; 200 g guanciale; 120 g pecorino romano; 2 tsp Black peppercorns; 15 g Fine sea salt; 4 l Water

A classic Roman pasta dressed simply with crisp guanciale (cured pork jowl), sharp pecorino cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper.

🇮🇹Italy· Lazio

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 590 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 6 gathered

Servings

400 g rigatoni — or mezze maniche, bronze-die extruded
200 g guanciale — cured pork jowl, sliced into 5 mm thick strips
120 g pecorino romano — finely grated
2 tsp Black peppercorns — coarsely crushed
15 g Fine sea salt — for salting pasta water lightly
4 l Water — for boiling the pasta

Equipment

•Large cooking pot
•Heavy frying pan
•Microplane or fine box grater
•Tongs
•Slotted spoon

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 590 kcal
fat: 25 g
carbs: 68 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 24 g
calories: 590 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the sliced guanciale into a cold, dry frying pan over medium-low heat.
2
Fry gently for eight to ten minutes until the fat renders and the pork turns golden and crisp.
3
Remove the crisp guanciale with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered liquid fat in the pan.
4
Bring four litres of water with sea salt to a rolling boil in a large pot.
5
Cook the rigatoni until two minutes before the packet al dente timing.
6
Toast the crushed black pepper in the pan with warm pork fat for one minute.
7
Ladle about 100 ml of starchy pasta water into the pan and simmer briefly to emulsify.
8
Transfer the pasta directly to the pan, tossing vigorously over medium heat to coat the pasta.
9
Remove the pan completely from the heat and let it rest for thirty seconds.
10
Add most of the Pecorino Romano and toss vigorously until a silky, creamy sauce forms.
11
Stir in the crisp guanciale and serve immediately with the remaining cheese scattered over.

Chef's tips

Always grate the Pecorino Romano as finely as dust so that it melts instantly without forming rubbery clumps. Taking the pan off the heat before adding the cheese is essential to prevent the sauce from splitting.

Ingredient substitutions

guanciale → unsmoked pancetta, though the pork flavour will be milder and less rich
rigatoni → spaghetti or tonnarelli

Storage

Pasta alla gricia is best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept in a covered container in the fridge for up to one day.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a small splash of warm water to re-emulsify the cheese sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding oil or butter to fry the guanciale, which creates an overly greasy sauce.
•Adding grated pecorino while the pan is still on high heat, which curdles the cheese proteins.
•Over-salting the cooking water, as guanciale and Pecorino Romano already provide substantial salt.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately on warmed shallow pasta bowls with an extra grind of black pepper.Pair with a local dry red wine from Lazio such as Cesanese del Piglio.