CLASSIC

Spaghetti alla Gricia

VERY EASY | 10 minutes

The protagonist of this recipe: Pecorino Romano PDO

Presentation

Spaghetti alla Gricia is one of the most famous and popular main courses of the typical Lazio cuisine. An easy and tasty recipe based on three sample ingredients: pecorino, bacon and black pepper. Less famous than carbonara, and very similar to amatriciana in its preparation. It is said that Pasta alla Gricia was invented by Lazio shepherds, that on the way back from the pastures they prepared a dish with the ingredients available. The result is a simple dish but at the same time good and substantial. You can choose to prepare Pasta alla Gricia with spaghetti, with bucatini or tonnarelli, or with short pasta like rigatoni!

Ingredients

4 people

Spaghetti 320 gr
Bacon 120 gr
Pecorino Romano PDO 50 gr
Chili pepper 1
White wine ½ glass
Oil q.b
Salt q.b.
Pepe nero q.b.

Method

To prepare Spaghetti alla Gricia, the first thing to do is: in a pot bring to boil the water that will be used to cook the pasta.

Now take the bacon and cut it into small slices. Place it on a preheated pan without oil and cook it over medium heat for about ten minutes until it becomes golden and crisp.

In the meantime, the water has come to boil, add salt and cook the pasta. You can choose as an alterna-tive to Spaghetti Alla Gricia, to use Tagliolini, Tonnarelli or short pasta such as Rigatoni.

Now abundant Pinna Pecorino Romano DOP can be grated on your pasta, it will give a special touch to your Spaghetti alla Gricia.

Drain the pasta two minutes before and add it to the pan to “rice up” it together with bacon and a ladle of cooking water. Move the pan to mix the pieces of bacon to flavor well the pasta.

When cooked, add Pinna Pecorino Romano DOP, until you notice a pleasant and tasty cream. (If neces-sary, add cooking water to reach desired consistency).

Plate up and finish your dish with a sprinkling of Pinna Pecorino Romano DOP as you like. Enjoy your meal!

How to make creamy gricia?

To have a creamy gricia the secret is to create the creamy sauce. Combine the grated pecorino romano, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a ladle of cooking water and a handful of pepper.

What is the difference between amatriciana and gricia?

The Gricia recipe is nothing more than a tomato-free Amatriciana pasta. A simple recipe that has been enriched over time, giving life to other traditional Italian recipes.

What pasta to use for the gricia?

The obligatory pasta format is spaghetti alla Gricia, but as in any traditional recipe there are modifications. In fact, as with Carbonara, many choose to opt for short pasta such as rigatoni or mezze Maniche.

Where was Gricia invented?

The Gricia recipe is a typical dish of the Lazio tradition, more precisely Roman.

What wine to pair with gricia?

The right wine for Gricia must be well supplied with freshness and sapidity, with a good alcohol content, quite soft and persistent.