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Pasta alla gricia: The Mother of Roman Pastas

Whether you're entertaining or relaxing, this recipe hits the spot.

Total Time
30 mins
Course: Main Course , Soup

Ingredients

  • 500 g 1 lb pasta (see Notes)
  • 400 g 15 oz guanciale (or pancetta)
  • 200 g 7 oz grated pecorino romano cheese
  • salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut some good slices from the guanciale, trim off the tough bottom skin, and cut into strips.
  2. Sauté the strips in a skillet over gentle heat until the guanciale has rendered quite a bit (but not all) of its fat and has lightly browned.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt and then your pasta. Cook until al dente.
  4. Drain and add the pasta to the skillet, along with a ladleful of the pasta water. Sauté the pasta in the skillet for a minute or two, until the pasta water has reduced into a kind of creamy sauce.
  5. Turn off the heat and add the pecorino cheese and a generous grinding of black pepper. Mix everything together vigorously until the cheese has completely melted into the sauce. (This operation is much like making a cacio e pepe, and our tips for that dish apply equally here.)
  6. Serve immediately, with more grated cheese and freshly ground pepper on top.