Guanciale

Production

Guanciale is usually rubbed with just salt and ground black pepper by cooks in Rome, but some producers use other spices, herbs, peperoncino or red pepper, and sometimes garlic. After a few weeks of this initial brining process, salt is washed off with wine. Then, it is spiced once again with pepper or chili powder and air-cured for weeks to months until it loses approximately 30% of its original weight. Its flavour is stronger than that of other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate. When cooked, the fat typically melts away.

In cuisine

Guanciale may be cut and eaten directly in small portions, but is often used as an ingredient in pasta dishes such as spaghetti alla carbonara and sauces such as sugo all'amatriciana.

It is a specialty of central Italy, particularly Umbria and Lazio. Pancetta, a cured Italian bacon, is sometimes used as a substitute when guanciale is not available.

References

References

1. (2013). "Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way". W. W. Norton & Company.
2. Cotto, Andrew. (10 November 2010). "Italy's Ultimate Answer to Bacon: Guanciale". [[Salon (website).
3. (2016). "Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City: A Cookbook". Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed.
4. (2012). "Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing". W. W. Norton & Company.
5. (2009). "Food Wine Rome". New York Review of Books.
6. (1977). "La cucina Rustica Regionale". Rizzoli.
7. Graue, Jennifer. (August 13, 2016). "The New Bacon: Pancetta, Guanciale and More". [[San Jose Mercury News]].