Pasta alla gricia

Pasta alla gricia is a typical dish of Lazio cuisine, particularly of Roman origin, and is considered the ancestor of amatriciana, made before the introduction of tomatoes to Italy. Here is the recipe to prepare pasta alla gricia.

Ingredients

• 400 g di pasta
• 150 g di guanciale
• 100 g di pecorino romano grattugiato
• Salt
• Black pepper

Preparation

1. Cut the guanciale into cubes or strips and sauté them in a large pan until it becomes crispy. During cooking, the guanciale will release its fat, which will be used to flavor the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente following the instructions on the package.
3. While the pasta is cooking, remove the guanciale from the pan and set it aside, leaving the released fat in the pan.
4. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the guanciale fat. Stir well to flavor the pasta.
5. Add the crispy guanciale to the pasta and stir again.
6. Turn off the heat, add the grated pecorino romano and a generous grind of black pepper. Stir everything so that the cheese melts with the pasta water creating a cream that will coat the rigatoni.
7. Serve the pasta alla gricia hot, adding more pecorino and black pepper to taste.

Interesting Facts

Gricia is characterized by its simplicity and strong flavors, given by pecorino romano and black pepper, which contrast with the fat and sweet flavor of the guanciale. The secret to an excellent gricia is the quality of the ingredients, particularly the guanciale, which must be of excellent quality and well-aged.