 | |
| Place of origin | Italy |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Central Italy |
| Main ingredients | Pork jowl or cheeks |
| Ingredients generally used | Salt, sugar, spices |
Guanciale (Italian: [ɡwanˈtʃaːle]) is an Italian salt-cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks.[1] Its name is derived from guancia, 'cheek'.[2] Its rendered fat gives flavor to and thickens the sauce of pasta dishes.[3]
Guanciale[4] is usually rubbed with just salt and ground black pepper by cooks in Rome, but some producers use other spices, herbs, peperoncino[3]orred pepper,[5] and sometimes garlic. It is cured for three weeks or until it loses approximately 30% of its original weight. Its flavour is stronger than other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate. When cooked, the fat typically melts away.
Guanciale may be cut and eaten directly in small portions, but is often used as an ingredient in pasta dishes[4] such as spaghetti alla carbonara and sauces such as sugo all'amatriciana.[6]
It is a specialty of central Italy, particularly Umbria and Lazio. Pancetta, a cured Italian bacon which is normally not smoked, is sometimes used as a substitute when guanciale is not available.[7]
Media related to Guanciale at Wikimedia Commons
