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The cheek of the pig, salted and slowly cured. It is the fattiest cut and the most flavourful, and that is why guanciale is not eaten as it is: it is cut, fried and its fat melts until it becomes the base of the dish.
No carbonara without guanciale
Carbonara, amatriciana and gricia are made with guanciale, not pancetta or bacon. This is not purism: the cheek has a different fat, one that melts into a deeper flavour and a texture pancetta cannot give. Swap it and you change the dish.
From Lazio and Umbria
It comes from central Italy, where it has been part of everyday cooking for centuries. It is salted with spices and cured slowly, without smoking, and it is in that wait that the aroma develops.
How to use it
In strips or cubes, over medium heat and with no oil: the fat melts by itself and that is enough. When it is golden and crisp, you have the base of your sauce.
What makes it special
- Slow curing: salted and matured under control, without smoking.
- No gluten, no lactose: by composition, not by any added process.
- The fat that makes the sauce: it melts and emulsifies, which is what a carbonara lives on.
On our Instagram we post recipes and ideas for making the most of it.
How to enjoy it
- Suggested pairing: a red from Lazio, a Cesanese, or a white with body.
- In carbonara: in strips, browned over medium heat with no oil.
- In amatriciana: with tomato and pecorino, as the recipe demands.
- With pulses: a few cubes in the sofrito and the whole dish changes.
- Crisp: over a vegetable soup or a warm salad.
Frequently asked questions
Does it contain lactose?
No dairy ingredients, and its technical sheet does not list milk among the allergens.
Does it contain gluten?
No. Its technical sheet does not list any of the fourteen allergens.
Why not use pancetta or bacon?
Because the cheek has a different fat. As it melts it leaves a deeper flavour and a texture pancetta does not give. Swapping it changes the dish.
How is it cooked?
In strips or cubes, over medium heat and with no oil: its own fat melts and that is all you need.
How should it be stored?
Refrigerated between 0 °C and 4 °C.
