“Spaghetti alla gricia is like carbonara without the egg. I love how easy yet satisfying it is. Wash it down with our 2019 Santolin ‘Gladysdale’ Chardonnay and add this recipe to your repertoire of dishes that match with this wine, alongside carbonara and cacio e pepe.” ~ Rebecca
91 POINTS “Flavours build, moving from citrus to stone fruit, fig to creamed honey. The palate fills out with richness and leesy influences plus well-handled phenolics. Then wham! A sprint home with its acidity.” ~ Jane Faulkner, 2021 Halliday Wine Companion.
Spaghetti alla Gricia w/ Chardonnay
Spaghetti alla Gricia
Serves 4 | 15 mins preparation | 15 mins cooking
INGREDIENTS
- 400 gm dried spaghetti
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 135 gm guanciale, cut into batons
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 25 gm finely grated Pecorino Romano (1/3 cup)
METHOD
- First things first, open a bottle of 2019 Santolin ‘Gladysdale’ Chardonnay pour a glass and take a sip!
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Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions until al dente (5-10 minutes), drain (reserve 250ml pasta water), set aside.
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Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frying pan, add guanciale and stir until crisp (2-4 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.
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Add onion and garlic to pan (you should have plenty of fat to fry the onion in; if not, add a little oil) and cook over medium heat until very tender (10-15 minutes). Return guanciale to pan with pasta and reserved water. Season with pepper, then add half the cheese, stirring until the cheese melts and forms a sauce (1-2 minutes). Serve hot, scattered with remaining cheese and a generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper.
Source: Gourmet Traveller
