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A square photo of pasta alla gricia
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5 from 1 vote

Pasta alla Gricia

Pasta alla Gricia is a super easy and classic pasta dish from Lazio, Italy. Although simple there's no compromise in flavour and it's perfect for whipping up on a busy weeknight, Buon Appetitio!
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 540kcal
Author: Emily Wyper

Ingredients

  • 4 cups rigatoni or other dried pasta (14 oz / 400g)
  • 1 cup guanciale cut into cubes (150g)
  • ½ cup pecorino freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente (around 8-9 minutes check your packet instructions).
  • Heat a large skillet or frying pan and cook the guanciale for a few minutes until crispy. You won’t need any oil because it will cook in the fat that’s released.
  • Once the pasta is cooked reserve ¼ cup (60ml) of pasta water, drain the pasta then add to the skillet with the guanciale.
  • Add the pasta water, pecorino, black pepper and stir until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce.
  • If the pasta seems too dry (for example if you used bacon and there wasn't much fat) add an extra splash of pasta water. Serve with extra pepper and pecorino if desired.

Video

Notes

  • Preparing in advance - There's no need to prepare this recipe in advance it's so quick and easy it takes no more than 10 minutes.
  • No guanciale? you can also use pancetta or bacon but try to make sure they are on the fattier side and not lean cuts.
  • Leftovers - The pasta is best eaten immediately because the sauce is made from the guanciale and pasta water it's best eaten while it's still warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 475mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 52IU | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 1mg