Pasta alla gricia is the template for the greatest pasta dishes of Central Italy’s tradition. Indeed, gricia is often referred to as a carbonara with no egg or an Amatriciana with no tomato sauce. But don’t be fooled by its humble look and simplicity: using just a handful ingredients, gricia – if cooked well – is insanely tasty and addictive.
The key ingredients: “guanciale” and Pecorino Romano
Guanciale, the cured pork cheek, is the main key ingredient for gricia: its rich, delicate fat and subtle spice melt into the pasta, creating a silky, savory base that’s quite different from bacon. Grated Pecorino Romano (sheep cheese), aged and sharply salty, binds the dish together, its briny depth and creamy texture coating pasta in a luxurious, umami-packed embrace.
Together, they transform a handful of ingredients into a dish that’s both rustic and refined.
Can you make a plant-based gricia?
The simple answer is yes. You won’t have the same hues of flavor as with guanciale, but the vegan market today offers some pretty amazing substitutions for bacon and similar fatty meats. Here we have used just that, with original grated Pecorino Romano.
Here’s how to prepare it.
