Pasta alla Gricia (Roman Guanciale Pecorino Black Pepper Pasta)

Quick answer

Total time: 28 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

This two-serving pasta uses 200 g spaghetti, 120 g guanciale, 60 g Pecorino Romano, and black pepper.

Cut the guanciale into long strips about 5 mm wide and place it in a cold pan over low heat. Cook it slowly for about 8 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary, until the fat looks clear and the edges are crisp without being scorched. Grate the Pecorino very finely before boiling the pasta, because coarse shreds are more likely to seize into lumps. Cook the spaghetti in water seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt until 1 minute short of al dente, and reserve 1 cup of the starchy water before draining. Add the pasta to the guanciale pan with 1/2 cup of that water and toss over medium-low heat for about 1 minute. The liquid is ready for the cheese when the pork fat and water have joined into a glossy coating instead of separating in the pan. Turn off the heat, or reduce it to the lowest setting, and add the grated Pecorino and 1 teaspoon black pepper in several portions while tossing quickly with tongs. If the sauce becomes too tight, loosen it one spoonful at a time with the remaining pasta water. Serve immediately when a thin, smooth cheese emulsion coats the noodles and the guanciale still has crisp edges.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

spaghetti200 gg

guanciale120 gg

pecorino romano60 gg

black pepper1 tsptsp

salt1 tsptsp

water1 cupcup

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Cut 120 g guanciale into long strips about 5 mm wide, and grate 60 g Pecorino Romano as finely as possible.

Keep the cheese loose and dry, because coarse shreds clump instead of melting into the sauce.
2

Control

Set the guanciale in a cold pan over low heat and cook for about 8 minutes.

Let the fat turn clear and the edges crisp slowly, lowering the heat if the pieces brown too quickly.
3

Finish

Cook 200 g spaghetti in salted water with 1 teaspoon salt until 1 minute shy of al dente.

Before draining, reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water so the sauce can loosen without becoming watery.
4

Finish

Add the drained spaghetti to the guanciale pan with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water.

Toss over medium low heat for about 1 minute until the fat and water look glossy and lightly emulsified.
5

Control

Turn off the heat, or reduce it to the lowest setting, then add the Pecorino and 1 teaspoon black pepper in batches.

Toss quickly with tongs so the cheese melts gradually instead of cooking into lumps.
6

Finish

If the sauce feels too thick, add the remaining pasta water a spoonful at a time until it coats the noodles thinly.

Serve immediately while the guanciale stays crisp and the sauce is glossy.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Roman guanciale fat, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper create a rich, emulsified sauce base.
Finish cue: Serve immediately while the guanciale stays crisp and the sauce is glossy.
Avoid this: Do not scorch guanciale fat; it is the base of the sauce.
Substitution: The liquid is ready for the cheese when the pork fat and water have joined into a glossy coating instead of separating in the pan.