TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
Rigatoni alla Gricia
A simple pasta without tomatoes or eggs, sometimes described as carbonara's predecessor. Made with guanciale and Pecorino.
AUTHENTICITY SCORE
Authenticity Score
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Ingredients (2 servings)
- GuancialeCut into 1 cm strips.150 g
- Rigatoni200 g
- Pecorino RomanoFinely grated60 g
- Coarsely ground black pepper5 g
Method
Boil water and prepare ingredients
- 1 First, start bringing a large pot of water to a boil, with 10 g salt per 1 L.
- 2 Cut the guanciale into 1 cm strips.
- 3 Finely grate the Pecorino.
Render the guanciale
- 1 Put the 1 cm guanciale strips in a frying pan and cook slowly over medium to low heat.
Ready when
Once plenty of fat has rendered and the guanciale changes from translucent to pale caramel, about 8 minutes, lower the heat.
Boil the rigatoni
- 1 MeanwhileWhile the guanciale cooks, boil the rigatoni in salted water.
- 2 Remove 1 minute before the package time and reserve 150 ml cooking water.
Emulsify the sauce
- 1 Continue when it emulsifies into a white, lightly thickened sauce, about 1–2 minutes.
Caution
Turn off the pan heat and shake while adding cooking water gradually.
Coat the pasta
- 1 Add the pasta and toss quickly with tongs while adding half the Pecorino and coarsely ground black pepper.
Ready when
It is ready when the creamy sauce clings firmly to the pasta.
Finish with Pecorino
- 1 Finish with the remaining Pecorino.
About this dish
Gricia belongs to Lazio's pasta traditions dating to before tomatoes spread across Roman tables. Linked to shepherds around Amatrice and mountain life, it has been passed down as a modest dish using preserved pork and sheep's-milk cheese.
The name may derive from a place in Lazio or from artisans called grici in Rome. Either way, its older lineage preceding amatriciana and carbonara gives it a supporting role in the history of Roman cooking.
Now counted among Rome's four great pastas, it is loved in trattorias and homes alike. Without a showy red sauce, it remains treasured for conveying an older layer of the Roman table.
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