Pasta alla Gricia

Pasta alla gricia is a simple pasta dish based on cured pork, black pepper, and Pecorino Romano.

Two reasons this delicious pasta dish isn’t more widely known is that it is made with an ingredient that is hard to find and it typically takes an expert chef working with undivided attention to detail to cook it properly.

Cook’s Illustrated has solved both problems – as they do so well.

The cured pork used in the original recipe is guanciale, or cured hog jowls. Since these can be hard to find, Cook’s Illustrated suggests easier-to-find pancetta.

Then they went to work on the cooking technique, which traditionally involves carefully combining just the right amount of starchy pasta cooking water and cheese to create a creamy sauce for the pasta – a technique that can be finicky, to say the least – and nailed it for the home cook.

Using their recipe – did I mention there are just 5 ingredients? – I easily made a memorable dish of pasta that was rich and creamy, peppery and tangy (from the cheese), the whole family loved and would be right at home in any Italian restaurant here or, maybe even, in Rome.

Pasta alla Gricia is a forgotten pasta dish that deserves to be remembered and enjoyed.

Try these Recipes with Your Pasta alla Gricia (Rigatoni with Pancetta and Pecorino Romano)

Click on any Name below for the Recipe

• Southern Italian Antipasto Platter Recipe
• Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano Butternut Squash and Apple Soup Recipe
• Johnny Carino’s Mediterranean Green Salad Recipe
• Lemon Prawn and Pea Risotto Recipe
• Johnny Carino’s Olive Oil Dip Recipe
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill Asparagus Risotto Recipe
• Roasted Artichoke and Mozzarella Salad Recipe
• Maggiano’s Little Italy Spinach & Artichoke al Forno Recipe
• Olive Garden Grilled Chicken Spiedini Recipe
• Cherry Tomato Summer Pasta with Lemony Croutons Recipe
• Maggiano’s Little Italy Mussels Tuscan Style Recipe
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill Italian Lemon Drop Cocktail Recipe
• Romano’s Macaroni Grill Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
• Maggiano’s Little Italy Apple Crostada Recipe
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill Chocolate Dream Recipe

To See More Italian Restaurant Copycat Recipes – Click HERE

Pasta alla Gricia (Rigatoni with Pancetta and Pecorino Romano) Recipe Tips

Tip 1 – Because this pasta dish is quite rich, consider serving it in slightly smaller portions than you would, say, spaghetti and meatballs with a green vegetable or salad.

Tip 2 – If you can find guanciale (cured hog jowls), use them. Increase the browning time in step 2 to 10 to 12 minutes.

Tip 3 – If using pancetta, use the highest-quality you can find and avoid presliced or prediced products. Go to the meat or deli counter and get it cut to order. I got my pancetta at Whole Foods.

Here are a Few More Related Recipes From Across Our Family of Websites You Will Love

Click on any Name below for the Recipe

• Romano’s Macaroni Grill Fonduta Gamberi Recipe
• Olive Garden Marsala Chicken Recipe
• Old Spaghetti Factory Spaghetti with Burnt Butter Recipe
• Texas Roadhouse Buttery Dinner Rolls and Cinnamon Butter Recipes Recipe
• California Pizza Kitchen Chicken Tequila Fettuccine Recipe
• Golden Corral Seafood Salad Recipe
• Olive Garden Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill Bread Dip Recipe
• Red Lobster Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
• Olive Garden Chianti Braised Short Ribs Recipe
• Phillips Crab Fettuccini Alfredo Recipe
• O’Charley’s Prime Rib Pasta Recipe
• Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad Recipe
• Carrabba’s Lobster Ravioli Recipe
• Olive Garden’s Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe