The pasta alla gricia is a tasty first course typical of the Lazio region, often referred to as white Amatriciana pasta. Made with guanciale and pecorino, pasta alla gricia is a quick-to-prepare dish that brings a very bold flavor to our tables. Enhanced with a sprinkle of pepper when served, it becomes the main course and, accompanied by a good side dish, also becomes an excellent one-dish meal.
I often prepare pasta alla gricia for impromptu meals because it really requires a few ingredients, but they must be of quality — excellent guanciale not to be replaced with pancetta, and preferably Roman pecorino, for a bold flavor that characterizes the dish.
You need to brown the guanciale well in the pan, and thanks to modern non-stick pans, there is absolutely no need to add other fats. Just control the cooking over high heat, turning it often to make it crispy on every side.
We can prepare the sauce for the pasta in the time it takes for the water to boil to cook the pasta, so we can do everything simultaneously, and in about half an hour, we will bring a truly succulent dish to the table.
For those who love bold-flavored first courses, I also recommend other recipes such as
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 620.54 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.25 (g) of which sugars 0.51 (g)
- Proteins 12.49 (g)
- Fat 49.19 (g) of which saturated 18.64 (g)of which unsaturated 26.05 (g)
- Fibers 1.87 (g)
- Sodium 1,829.99 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 210 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
- 4.4 oz guanciale
- 1.1 oz pecorino (grated)
- to taste pepper
- 1/4 glass white wine
- 1 qt water (for cooking pasta)
- to taste coarse salt (for cooking pasta)
- 6.3 oz pasta (preferably mezze maniche)
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan
Preparation
Bring a pot of water with coarse salt to a boil in a tall-sided pot; this will be used to cook the pasta. In the meantime, clean the guanciale of its rind and slice it first into thin pieces and then into strips. Place the non-stick pan on the heat, and when it’s hot, add the sliced guanciale, cover with the lid, and let it brown well on all sides over high heat. You’ll see it will release its natural fat, which should not solidify, so adjust the flame to avoid burning.
When the guanciale is nice and crispy, deglaze with a little white wine, let it evaporate for about a minute, and turn off the heat; your sauce is practically ready.
When the water comes to a boil, cook the pasta in it for the minutes indicated on the package for al dente cooking.
Return the pan with the guanciale to the heat when you are about to drain the pasta and bring it back to a high temperature. When it starts to sizzle, add the pasta. To properly drain the pasta without bringing too much water but still leaving it with the right amount of water to reheat, I recommend draining it by lifting it directly from the pot with a large slotted spoon. This way, you bring it directly into the pan, reheat it a bit with the guanciale, turn off the heat, and add some of the pecorino and a little pepper, mix well, and plate.
Serve the pasta as soon as you have plated it, serving it with a sprinkle of pecorino and pepper grated directly onto the plate for a more scenic effect.
NOTE
Pasta alla Gricia is truly a very flavorful and succulent first course that is prepared with little time and simple ingredients. The important thing is to follow a few but fundamental steps. It should be consumed hot, freshly prepared, and accompanied by a side dish, it becomes a truly excellent one-dish meal.
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