Pasta alla Gricia

🛒 Ingredients

• Pasta (Spaghetti or Rigatoni) 100 g · 350 kcal
• Guanciale (cured pork cheek) 50 g · 250 kcal
• Pecorino Romano cheese, grated 30 g · 110 kcal
• Black pepper, freshly ground 1 g · 4 kcal

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.
2. Dice the guanciale into small strips or cubes. In a cold pan, render the guanciale over medium heat until crispy and most fat has melted, then remove the crispy pieces and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
3. Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of starchy pasta water.
4. Add the drained pasta to the pan with the guanciale fat. Add a ladle of reserved pasta water and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
5. Stir vigorously, then gradually add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, along with more pasta water as needed, to emulsify and create a creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with the crispy guanciale pieces and extra Pecorino Romano cheese if desired.