Pasta alla Gricia

Today’s recipe is a classic, simple Italian dish that definitely satisfies – especially on this snowy, winter day. As many of you know from previous recipes using guanciale, I think this ingredient adds a special type of magic to these Italian recipes (pasta all’amatriciana, spaghetti alla carbonara, and penne arrabbiata ) and should be sought out before just substituting thick-cut bacon. The guanciale renderings are the star of this dish as it is those renderings that form the sauce – that and starchy, pasta water. I used the tips from the Serious Eats recipe to produce a velvety sauce rich in the slightly smoked pork flavor that is so well suited to Romano cheese. There are several keys to this dish that I think bring it all together simply and easily. First, cook the guanciale in water to render the fat easily without risking burning it and then crisp the guanciale bits to a nice deep brown. Second, cook the pasta in less than usual amount of water to create a heavily starched pasta water fitting to combine the rendered fat into an emulsified sauce. Enough of this talking about it, let’s get cooking!

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Pasta alla Gricia

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

2½ to 3 oz guanciale, cut into a less than ¼ inch dice
4 oz thin spaghetti (or other desired dry pasta)
1½ oz Romano cheese or more as needed/desired
finely chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan, heat the water to boiling for the pasta. Salt lightly once boiling.
When the water boils, add the pasta and cook for ¾ of the recommended cooking time. For the spaghetti I used, it was 6 minutes.
In a skillet over Medium/Medium-High heat, add the guanciale and ¼ to ⅓ cup of water.
Cover and allow the guanciale to render its fat, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir occasionally and as the water evaporates and the guanciale sizzles, lower the heat to Medium and cook until crispy and well-browned.
When the spaghetti is ¾ cooked, dip ½ cup of pasta water and stir into the crisped guancialle and renderings.
Stir to combine the renderings and water to create a simple sauce.
Add the pasta to the guanciale and sauce, reserving the pasta water.
Stir/toss the pasta to combine then add another ¼ cup of pasta water so the pasta continues to cook in the sauce.
Cook the pasta in additional ¼ cups of water as needed until done to the desired doneness, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the heat and sprinkle the cheese over the pasta and sauce, tossing to combine and minimize clumps of cheese.
Serve in a bowl with additional cheese and parsley garnish, if desired.