Spaghetti alla Gricia
A Roman pasta classic with guanciale, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper — the ancestor of carbonara, no egg required.
4 people · prep 10 min · cook 20 min · Total 30 min
Ingredients
- 400 gspaghetti
- 180 gguanciale (cut into 1 cm lardons)
- 100 gPecorino Romano (finely grated)
- 2 tspblack pepper (coarsely cracked)
- fine salt (for pasta water)
Method
- 1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti 2 minutes less than package directions; reserve 300 ml pasta water before draining.
- 2.Meanwhile, cook guanciale in a cold wide skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and edges crisp, about 8 minutes. Add cracked black pepper and toast 30 seconds.
- 3.Add drained pasta to the skillet with 120 ml reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously over medium-low heat until the liquid emulsifies into a glossy sauce.
- 4.Remove from heat, add Pecorino Romano in two additions, tossing and adding pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy coating. Serve immediately.