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A cropped close up of Pasta alla Gricia in a blue and white bowl.
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Roman Pasta alla Gricia

Use the camera icon to toggle the step by step photos on and off. How to make an authentic Pasta alla Gricia with crispy guanciale, salty pecorino and black pepper. This recipe is quick, easy and unbelievably comforting!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Emily Wyper

Ingredients

  • 14 oz Pasta (Mezze maniche or Spaghetti) (400g)
  • 4 oz Guanciale (120g)
  • 6 oz Pecorino Romano *see notes (170g)
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.
  • Meanwhile, trim the thick skin off the guanciale and cut it into medium-sized strips (photo 1)
    Two photos in a collage showing how to cut guanciale and put it in a pan.
  • Heat a large pan on a low-medium heat and add the guanciale. Fry until the guanciale is golden and crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave around 2 tablespoons of guanciale fat in the pan and pour the rest into a bowl, just in case you need extra. Turn the pan off the heat (photos 2-4).
    Two photos showing crispy guanciale in a pan and removing it with a slotted spoon.
  • Next, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 2 minutes under the packet instructions.
  • Meanwhile, finely grate the pecorino cheese into a bowl and add a generous amount of black pepper. Remove some pasta water from the pot and add it to the grated cheese whilst whisking until a thick paste forms. Set aside (photos 5 and 6).
  • When the pasta is al dente, add it to the pan with the guanciale fat and turn the heat back on to medium. Add a splash of pasta water (around 1/2 cup/125ml) and stir the pasta until the pasta water has thickened slightly (2-3 minutes).
  • Next, turn the heat off and add the cheese paste. Stir vigorously until creamy and emulsified (tossing it in the pan also helps at this point) (photos 7 and 8).
    Two photos in a collage showing how to add pecorino cheese paste to pasta and stir it in.
  • Serve in bowls topped with the crispy guanciale.

Notes

  • Cheese - Make sure to use Pecorino Romano DOP for the best results; otherwise, the cheese could clump. 200g/7oz measured to 3 and ¼ cups grated (fine feathery grate).
  • Prepping in advance/leftovers - I recommend eating immediately, as it cannot be prepped in advance (other than grating the cheese) and doesn't reheat well due to cheese clumping.

Nutrition

Calories: 735kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 176IU | Calcium: 473mg | Iron: 2mg
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