Pasta alla Gricia – Classic Italian pasta with guanciale, pecorino and freshly ground black pepper.
Pasta alla Gricia is one of those wonderfully simple Italian dishes that really proves how far you can get with a few good ingredients. Here you get a classic pasta dish made with guanciale, pecorino and plenty of freshly ground black pepper – and it is simply delicious.
The dish comes from the Lazio region of Italy and is often regarded as the “forerunner” of both cacio e pepe and amatriciana. It is a little like a cacio e pepe, but with salty, flavourful guanciale adding extra depth – and at the same time a little like a carbonara, just without the eggs.
The magic happens when the fat from the crisp-fried guanciale combines with the starchy pasta cooking water. Together with the grated pecorino it turns into a creamy, glossy sauce that clings to the pasta. It is precisely this emulsion that gives the dish exactly the right consistency – without any cream or eggs.
Freshly ground black pepper is not just a detail here – it is an essential part of the dish, balancing the richness and lifting the flavour. A simple, quick and utterly irresistible pasta dish that works just as well on a weeknight as it does for guests.
I prefer to make it with rigatoni – the short pasta tubes that are perfect for this dish. The sauce and the crisp pieces of guanciale settle inside the pasta, so you get everything in every single bite. It simply makes for a richer, more satisfying result.
You can easily use spaghetti or other pasta shapes too, but there is just something special about these pasta tubes when they soak up the creamy sauce. A simple, quick and truly irresistible pasta dish.
Guanciale or pancetta
Guanciale is the classic ingredient in pasta alla gricia and is made from pork cheek (jowl) that has been salted and air-dried. It has a more intense flavour and a higher fat content than pancetta, which gives an extra deep and rich sauce.
If you cannot get hold of guanciale, pancetta works perfectly well instead. The Italians may well disagree – but both taste very good, and pancetta is a fine alternative.
Choosing the cheese
Pecorino Romano is the traditional cheese in this dish and is made from sheep’s milk. It has a strong, salty flavour that helps give the dish its character.
If you are not so keen on pecorino, you can use a good aged Parmesan instead. It is important to choose proper quality here – when there are so few ingredients, it really makes a difference.
Pasta alla Gricia
Ingredients
- 250 g guanciale, diced (or pancetta)
- 400 g pasta
- 100 g pecorino, finely grated (or Parmesan)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pasta cooking water
Method
- Fry the guanciale in a frying pan over a medium heat until golden and crisp. Let the fat render slowly – that gives the best result.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes less than al dente.Take care not to over-salt the water for this particular dish, as both guanciale and pecorino are quite salty.
- Remove the guanciale from the pan once it is golden and crisp – set it aside on a plate. Pour off some of the fat too, so that only 3-4 tbsp remain. Keep the rest and adjust before serving if needed.
- Pour a splash of pasta cooking water into the pan, starting with 100 ml, add the pasta and let it simmer until the pasta is almost tender. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper too.
- Meanwhile, stir the cheese together with 100 ml pasta cooking water, then pour it into the pan. Toss well with the pasta, stirring constantly until the cheese has melted and the sauce emulsifies.
- Adjust the consistency with more pasta cooking water, and add a little extra fat from the guanciale if you like.
- Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and a little salt if needed before serving.
Nutrition
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