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.
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- 1/2 lb Rigatoni
- 1/4 lb Guanciale
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano (10g finely shredded)
- Boil the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook according to the package instructions for al dente.
- Cut the guanciale
Cut the guanciale into thin strips.
- 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.
- Combine the pasta
Add the rigatoni to the guanciale.
- Finish the pasta
Turn off the heat and add the cheese.
- 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.