Guanciale
.jpg) A piece of guanciale | |
| 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, the Italian word for 'cheek'.[2] Its rendered fat gives flavor to and thickens the sauce of pasta dishes.[3]
Production[edit]
Guanciale ('pillow' in Italian)[4] is traditionally rubbed with just salt and ground black pepper by cooks in Rome, but some producers use other spices, herbs, peperoncino[3] or red 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. Upon cooking, the fat typically melts away.
In cuisine[edit]
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]
See also[edit]
Media related to Guanciale at Wikimedia Commons
The dictionary definition of guanciale at Wiktionary
References[edit]
- ^ De Vita, Oretta Zanini; Fant, Maureen B. (2013). Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-393-24151-8.
- ^ Cotto, Andrew (10 November 2010). "Italy's Ultimate Answer to Bacon: Guanciale". Salon. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ a b Parla, Katie; Gill, Kristina (2016). Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City: A Cookbook. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. pp. 81–82. ISBN 978-0-8041-8718-3.
- ^ a b Ruhlman, Michael; Polcyn, Brian (2012). Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 87–89. ISBN 978-0-393-06859-7. OCLC 829279722.
- ^ Downie, David (2009). Food Wine Rome. New York Review of Books. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-892145-71-0.
- ^ Carnacina, Luigi; Veronelli, Luigi (1977). "Vol. 2, Italia Centrale". La cucina Rustica Regionale. Rizzoli. OCLC 797623404. republication of La Buona Vera Cucina Italiana, 1966.
- ^ Graue, Jennifer (August 13, 2016) [March 11, 2011]. "The New Bacon: Pancetta, Guanciale and More". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
