Pasta Alla Gricia

Along with carbonara, cacio e pepe, and amatriciana, pasta alla gricia completes the four classic pasta dishes of Rome. It's a classic for good reason: With only four ingredients, it's simple to make and easy to indulge. A key ingredient that is a common sight in Italy but perhaps not in the U.S. is guanciale, which is cured pork jowl. Fatty yet delicate, rich yet contained, guanciale is cubed into small pieces and rendered until the tiny nuggets turn deeply golden and slightly crunchy on the outside while remaining juicy and ripe with flavor on the inside. The fat that is rendered is then tempered with pasta water and Pecorino cheese to form the basis of the glossy sauce that hugs every noodle in this classic pasta dish.

The guanciale:
If you can't find guanciale, you can use pancetta or thick-cut bacon instead. Nota bene: This substitution won't be able to provide guanciale's warm, almost-sweet flavors that are reminiscent of the holiday season. Even so, you'll still have a delicious plate of creamy, cheesy, silky noodles, punctuated by specks of freshly ground black pepper.

The pasta:
As for the pasta cut? We're not Puritans about it, which is why we went with spaghetti. This broader noodle makes for a satisfying twirl on your fork or a sheepish slurp, whatever you'd prefer. The nice surface area also displays the soft gleam of the sauce just so, quietly whetting your appetite for a second helping.

Tip: Because the pasta water is a crucial ingredient in making the sauce, be careful not to oversalt it in the beginning—just ¾ teaspoon is enough, we promise!

Serving pasta alla gricia:
This recipe yields only two servings because it is important to not overcrowd your pan while making this pasta. Eight ounces of pasta fits nicely in a high-sided skillet, which is what you'll need for this fast process that calls for finishing your pasta in the sauce.

If you've made this recipe, be sure to drop us a line down below in the comments section.