Rigatoni alla Gricia: the classic Italian recipe with Rummo, Guanciale

With just three ingredients, Rigatoni alla Gricia is one of the four great classics of Roman cuisine: al dente pasta, guanciale rendered crisp in its own fat, and a generous helping of aged Pecorino Romano. With no tomato and no cream, it's the "mother" recipe that gave rise to both amatriciana and carbonara. A simple, flavourful dish ready in under 30 minutes.

⏱️ 25 minTotal time

🍽️ 2 servingsServings

🧀 Creamy & savouryFlavour

🇮🇹 LazioOrigin

The key to this recipe is the quality of every ingredient: good Rigatoni No. 51 Rummo, made with the "Lenta Lavorazione" (slow processing) method that holds onto the guanciale fat perfectly, genuine Italian Guanciale with its intense flavour and silky texture, and an aged Pecorino Romano DOP, with just the right amount of salt and spice that defines the dish.

Ingredients (serves 2)

250 g Rigatoni No. 51 Rummo
200 g Guanciale
200 g Pecorino Romano
Pepper, to taste

Method

After grating the Pecorino Romano, prepare the guanciale: remove the rind, cut it into slices about half a centimetre thick, then into thin strips.
Put the guanciale in a pan and brown it over high heat, stirring well. Once nicely browned, remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside, letting the fat drain off and keeping the rendered fat in the pan.
Meanwhile, boil the Rigatoni in a pot of salted water. Drain al dente and finish cooking directly in the pan where you browned the guanciale, adding a ladle of pasta water and taking care not to burn yourself when the water meets the hot fat. Toss the pasta in the mixture, finishing the cooking and binding the flavours together.
Add the guanciale back in and keep stirring. Turn off the heat and add the Pecorino Romano, tossing and mixing.
Plate up, adding a touch of freshly ground pepper. To the table!

Buon appetito!