Rigatoni Alla Gricia

One of the most famous pasta dishes in Rome is pasta alla gricia. It is most often served with rigatoni, which is the perfect shape to hide bits of guanciale.

Can you substitute bacon for guanciale?

While it would still be good, it will not be the same. Guanciale is not smoked where bacon is.

A few notes of caution when making this dish.

The cheese needs to be very finely grated. It is vital that you turn off the heat when tossing in the cheese. If the cheese gets too hot it will start to get stringy and the texture will not be right. You are aiming for more of a creamy sauce, which is the combination of the cheese and pasta water.

Print Recipe

Rigatoni Alla Gricia

Cuisine: Italian, Pasta Courses: Dinner, Lunch

Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 12 mins Total Time 22 mins

Servings: 2

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Description

This famous Roman pasta dish only has 3 ingredients and comes together in minutes! 

Ingredients

Servings

• ¹⁄₂ lb Rigatoni

• ¹⁄₄ lb Guanciale

• ¹⁄₂ cup Pecorino Romano (10g finely shredded)

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook according to the package instructions for al dente. 

2. Cut the guanciale

   Cut the guanciale into thin strips. 

3. Prepare the sauce

   Add the guanciale to a cool dry pan. Turn the head medium and cook until the the guanciale is golden brown.

   Add a splash  of pasta water. 

4. Combine the pasta

   Add the rigatoni to the guanciale. 

5. Finish the pasta

   Turn off the heat and add the cheese. 

6. Serve

   Toss to combine and melt the cheese. Serve with freshly grated black pepper. 

   If the sauce is too dry, add more pasta water. If too wet, add more cheese.