Creamy and tasty, the pasta with potato cream and guanciale, at first glance, might be mistaken for a carbonara. In fact, the flavor is reminiscent of the famous dish of Roman cuisine, thanks to common ingredients like guanciale and Pecorino. However, this version stands out for a fundamental element: instead of the egg cream, the sauce is made by blending boiled potatoes with Pecorino and Parmesan, creating a smooth texture with a more delicate taste. The result is a dish that is less fatty on the palate, where the flavor of the guanciale stands out more intensely. Perfect for varying the daily menu, pasta with potato cream and guanciale is prepared with few ingredients and simple steps, making it an ideal choice for a tasty and satisfying lunch.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 533.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 46.41 (g) of which sugars 1.47 (g)
- Proteins 14.03 (g)
- Fat 32.23 (g) of which saturated 12.81 (g)of which unsaturated 16.55 (g)
- Fibers 4.07 (g)
- Sodium 857.37 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 325 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Pasta with Potato Cream and Guanciale
If you are celiac, in addition to using gluten-free pasta, ensure that the guanciale is labeled “gluten-free”.
- 11.3 oz pasta (for me gluten-free)
- 1.1 lbs potatoes
- 5.3 oz guanciale
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsps Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 3 tbsps Pecorino Romano (grated)
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan non-stick pasta sauté pan
- 1 Ladle slotted
- 1 Immersion Blender
How to Prepare Pasta with Potato Cream and Guanciale
To prepare the pasta with potato cream and guanciale, start with the potato cream. You can prepare the rest in the time it takes for the pasta to cook. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes (1). Put a large pot with lightly salted water on the stove (you can use the same pot and water to boil the pasta as well).
When the water boils, drop in the potato cubes and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Once cooked, drain them with a slotted ladle (2), keeping aside the cooking water, and transfer them into the immersion blender jug. Add 2 tablespoons of Pecorino and 2 of Parmesan, along with a splash of potato cooking water (3).
Blend with the immersion blender, gradually adding a bit more of the cooking water (4), until a smooth, homogeneous, and fairly fluid cream is obtained (5). Taste it and, if needed, adjust the salt. Set it aside. Cut the guanciale into slices about 1/8 inch thick, remove the rind, and cut it into strips (6).
In the same water in which you boiled the potatoes, cook the pasta. While it cooks, put a non-stick pan on the stove without any seasoning. When hot, add the guanciale (7). Let it brown over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the fat becomes translucent and the lean part is golden (8). At this point, with a slotted ladle, remove about 1/3 of the guanciale and set it aside to garnish the finished dish. Turn off the heat and pour the potato cream into the pan, mixing it with the rest (9).
Drain the pasta very al dente (keeping aside a good amount of its cooking water) and transfer it to the pan. Mix it for about a minute over high heat, adding a little cooking water when you see the potato cream tends to thicken too much (10). Turn off the heat and add a tablespoon of grated Pecorino (11). Continue to mix the pasta off the heat for about a minute, adding more cooking water if necessary, to create a smooth and creamy sauce (12).
Serve the pasta with potato cream and guanciale immediately, garnished with the crispy guanciale set aside and, if you want, with a bit more grated Pecorino.
Storage
Pasta with guanciale and potatoes should be served immediately. However, if there’s any left, you can store it in the refrigerator, in a glass container, for one day. Then it will need to be reheated in the microwave or in a pan, adding a little water to dilute the potato cream.
Tips and Variations
If you want to add a special touch to the dish, you can add a sachet of saffron dissolved in a little cooking water to the potato cream, to be added to the sauce just before mixing the pasta.
