Authentic Pasta alla Gricia
A traditional Roman pasta featuring guanciale, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. This dish delivers rich, creamy flavor without cream, emphasizing simple, high-quality ingredients.
Equipment
- 1 large pot for boiling pasta
- 1 large pan for cooking guanciale and sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon black pepper freshly ground (medium coarse)
- 6 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated
- 6 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cut into strips
- ½ cup white wine
- 11 ounces spaghetti or tonnarelli
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and then drain.
- Cook guanciale in a large pan over medium heat until crispy and golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove excess fat if necessary.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat in guanciale fat and sauce. Add reserved pasta water to emulsify.
- Lower the heat and gradually stir in Pecorino Romano and black pepper, tossing quickly to combine. Add more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce.
- Serve immediately with extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper on top.
Notes
- Use guanciale for authentic flavor instead of pancetta.
- Add cheese off heat to prevent clumping.
- The creamy sauce forms from emulsifying pasta water with cheese and rendered fat.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently.