Pasta alla gricia – pasta with guanciale and pecorino Recipe
Pasta alla gricia is a lesser-known cousin of carbonara from the Lazio region. It uses only pasta, cured pork (guanciale or pancetta), pecorino cheese and pepper – and the result is a creamy, intensely cheesy-meaty sauce without cream. Italians treat this dish as a quick but very satisfying weekday lunch. If you like the simplicity of carbonara, this egg-free version will win your heart too.
Pasta alla gricia is the essence of Roman simplicity: only four ingredients, yet a flavour so deep it tastes as if it had been simmering for hours. Guanciale renders aromatic fat which, together with the starch from the pasta and salty pecorino, creates a naturally creamy sauce without a drop of cream or eggs. This dish shows how much can be achieved with good-quality ingredients and precise proportions.
Chef's tips
Start the guanciale in a cold pan, gradually increasing the heat – the fat will render evenly and the pieces will turn crisp rather than burnt. Before adding the cheese, take the pan off the heat and wait a moment so the sauce isn’t too hot – otherwise the pecorino will clump instead of melting. Add pasta cooking water a tablespoon at a time, mixing vigorously until you get a smooth, glossy sauce that clings to the pasta strands.
How to serve
Serve immediately after preparing, while the sauce is still thick and silky, with an extra grind of fresh black pepper on top. It’s a perfect pasta for a quick, hearty dinner after getting home late – ready in the time it takes the pasta water to boil. Gricia pairs best with a simple red wine from Lazio or a glass of dry white if you’re eating it on a warm summer evening on the balcony.
Ingredients
- pasta - 200 g
- guanciale (cured pork jowl) or pancetta - 80 g
- pecorino romano cheese, finely grated - 50 g
- freshly ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
- salt for cooking the pasta
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt it so that it is distinctly salty (like a lightly salty sea). Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Meanwhile, cut the guanciale or bacon into thin strips or small rectangles.
- Place the chopped meat in a large dry frying pan. Fry over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until the fat renders and the pieces are golden and slightly crisp but not burnt. Reduce the heat to low.
- Put the grated pecorino into a small bowl and add 2–3 tablespoons of hot pasta cooking water. Mix vigorously with a fork until you get a thick, creamy, lump-free cheese paste. If it is too thick, add a little more water.
- When the pasta is al dente, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the rest.
- Transfer the pasta to the pan with the guanciale. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Toss over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the pasta is coated in the fat and a lightly glossy sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Wait about 20–30 seconds for the temperature to drop slightly, then add the cheese paste. Toss vigorously with tongs or two forks, adding a little pasta water at a time until you get a smooth, creamy sauce coating the strands of pasta.
- Taste and add more pepper if needed. You usually don’t need extra salt because the cheese and meat are salty.
- Serve immediately, topped with a little extra cheese and pepper on top.
Storage
This pasta is best eaten immediately after cooking – on standing, the sauce thickens and the pasta absorbs it. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day and reheat very gently with a splash of water, stirring constantly. The texture will be less creamy than fresh.
