Guanciale Pasta
aka Pasta alla Gricia
Prep Time2 minutes mins
Cook Time13 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: guanciale, pasta
Servings: 2
Calories: 570kcal
- 4 oz guanciale cubed
- 6 oz pasta shape of choice
- 3 oz Pecorino Romano finely grated
- freshly ground black pepper a lot, at least 2 tsp
Crisp the guanciale in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until the fat renders out. Once the guanciale is crisped to your liking, transfer the meat to a bowl, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
While the guanciale is crisping, cook your pasta of choice in a large pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, until pasta is 3 minutes shy of the package time. Save 1.5 cups the pasta water, then drain the pasta without rinsing.
Add 3/4 cups pasta water to the skillet and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, swirling often to emulsify the pasta water and rendered fat, about 1 minute. Add the pasta to the pan and continue swirling until pasta is cooked al dente and the sauce becomes thick and glossy, 2 minutes. Tip: use silicone covered tongs to avoid breaking the pasta.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the crisped guanciale cubes, pepper, and two-thirds of the grated Pecorino. Toss well to melt the cheese and combine. Enjoy immediately topped off with the remaining Pecorino.
Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 46.6g | Protein: 29.1g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15.8g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1317mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 0.01g