The origins of pasta alla Gricia vary from the names of northern characters and towns that claim its provenance. However, I prefer to think that in ancient times people had only simple ingredients available and, to survive, made do with hearty dishes. Despite everything, they left us a legacy of plates that we still proudly pass down and enjoy at our tables.
Pasta alla Gricia is prepared with few but very specific ingredients: a high-quality guanciale and a good grated pecorino cheese. The procedure is similar to that of amatriciana, excluding tomato, and for this reason it is also called the white amatriciana. This tasty dish from Lazio is completed with perfectly al dente pasta that is tossed in a skillet with a generous dusting of freshly ground black pepper. And being biased, I suggest you also try the utter simplicity of spaghetti with garlic, oil and chili.
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 13.4 oz (about 3 1/3 cups dried) pasta (I used Tubettoni rigati from Gragnano)
- 8.8 oz (about 0.55 lb) guanciale (cured and of good quality)
- 4.2 oz (about 1 cup grated) pecorino (from Amatrice or Romano)
- to taste black pepper (freshly ground)
- to taste coarse salt
Preparation
Put a pot of water on the heat to cook the pasta and wait for it to boil before salting it.
Meanwhile, cut the guanciale into cubes of about 3/8 inch and brown it over low heat in a sauté pan for pasta, without adding anything else.
At first the fat from the guanciale will change color, becoming almost translucent; let it brown until it melts in the pan.
When it has completely melted and turned golden, turn off the heat.
Chef’s tip: lift the guanciale out with a slotted spoon and place it on a sheet of butcher paper or the kind the deli uses to wrap cold cuts. Keep the guanciale wrapped in the paper. This little trick will make the guanciale crumbly and perfectly crispy.
When the pasta is almost cooked, al dente, drain it and pour it into the sauté pan with the guanciale fat. Over high heat, let it take on flavor, adding a few handfuls of grated pecorino and freshly ground pepper.
Add the guanciale you set aside, toss again in the pan and serve on the plate with more freshly grated pecorino and another grind of black pepper.
