Pasta alla gricia: how the chefs make it, compared

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Max MariolaRome-born professional chef and TV personality (Gambero Rosso Channel). In 2026 he moved with his family to Bali, Indonesia, and handed over all but one of his restaurants Partly unverified

Roman style built on a splash of white wine

The only one of the three major Roman styles (alongside carbonara and cacio e pepe) that adds a splash of dry white wine
Strongly specifies the ingredient: "not pancetta, not bacon — it has to be guanciale"
Adds the pecorino in three additions rather than one, tossing after each

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In the chef’s words

Do not use pancetta nor bacon. It has to be guanciale. source

References: [1]

J. Kenji López-AltFormer Managing Culinary Director at Serious Eats and now its Chief Culinary Advisor, New York Times columnist (two-time James Beard Award winner) Source verified

A small pot of concentrated pasta water maximizes starch

Renders the guanciale from cold water over medium heat, a distinctive prep step that draws out fat before it can scorch
Cooks the pasta in a small pot with a shallow amount of water to raise the starch concentration of the pasta water, a consistent hallmark of his more scientific approach
States the ideal temperature range for adding the cheese (65-71°C) and explains why the heat must be off

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In the chef’s words

Reserve and set aside at least 2 cups (475ml) pasta water... Set the pan over high heat and add 1/2 cup (120ml) of the reserved pasta water. Toss and stir constantly as the liquid reduces into a glossy sauce. source

References: [1]

Source is a recipe page (no video)

Pasta GrammarA husband-and-wife channel: Eva, from Calabria, Italy, and Harper, from the US Source verified

Cacio e pepe-style bowl emulsion

Describes gricia both as "carbonara with the eggs omitted" and as "cacio e pepe with guanciale added"
Builds the sauce using the same method as cacio e pepe: pecorino and pasta water creamed together first
Takes the pasta off the heat and rests it for a minute before combining with the cheese, to prevent separation

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In the chef’s words

it can either be thought of as a carbonara with eggs omitted or as a cacio e pepe with guanciale (cured pork jowl) added source

References: [1]

Vincenzo's PlateItalian-born, Sydney-based YouTube channel Source verified

A two-stage finish using steam from the pasta pot

Toasts black pepper alone in the pan for a minute to bring out its aroma before cooking the guanciale
States explicitly that the guanciale is used in full, rind and fat included
A two-stage emulsion: setting the pan with the rendered fat on top of the still-hot pasta pot, using the pot's steam as indirect heat to keep the temperature gentle while tossing

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In the chef’s words

Put the large pot back on the stove, and your pan on top of the pot source

References: [1]

Compared on 11 axes

Figures are transcribed as written in each video or recipe page

AXIS	Max Mariola	J. Kenji López-Alt	Pasta Grammar	Vincenzo's Plate
Pasta, amount, and cooking	Spaghetti (12.5g protein/100g or higher), serves 2	227g bronze-die pasta (rigatoni, spaghetti, bucatini, or tonnarelli), serves 2	185g ridged tube pasta such as rigatoni, serves 2	250g mezze maniche (rigatoni or spaghetti also work), serves 2
Salt in the cooking water	Not specified	Light	Well-salted water	1 tbsp rock salt
Water volume and starch concentration	Not specified	About 4cm deep in a small pot, kept minimal to raise starch concentration	Not specified	Not specified
How the guanciale is cut and rendered	200g guanciale, cut into 0.5cm strips, rendered dry in its own fat with no added oil	85g guanciale, cut into 1.3cm pieces, rendered over medium heat starting from 2 tbsp water, about 7 minutes	100g guanciale, small dice, cooked slowly over medium-low heat	150g guanciale, rind and fat included, all of it used, cut into strips
Wine and acidity	Dry white wine, less than half a glass	None	None	None
Cheese (type, amount, timing)	Fresh pecorino romano, shaved very thin, added in three additions	57g pecorino romano, three-quarters added off the heat, remaining quarter added at the end	70g pecorino romano, made into a cream with pasta water before tossing	150g pecorino romano, mixed with black pepper first, then loosened with pasta water into a cream
Method of emulsification	Over direct heat; pasta water and cheese are combined after the heat is turned off	Pasta water boiled hard over high heat to emulsify; cheese added off the heat	Pasta water and cheese combined into a cream in a bowl first, cacio e pepe style	Pan set on top of the still-hot pot; indirect steam heat keeps it at a gentle simmer while emulsifying
Heat level	High heat to render the guanciale; finished with the heat off	Medium heat for the guanciale, high heat to emulsify, cheese added with the heat off	Medium-low for the guanciale, finished off the heat with a 1-minute rest	Medium heat to cook the guanciale; the finish uses low heat via the pot's steam
Black pepper	Generous black pepper for a mottled speckle	1 tsp coarsely ground, bloomed in the fat first, plus more added at the end	Black pepper	Toasted alone in the pan for 1 minute before cooking; more added at the end
Finish	Plated with the black pepper emphasized	Remaining pecorino and black pepper added	Rested 1 minute, then tossed with pepper and cheese cream	Reserved crisp guanciale scattered on at the very end
Time required	Not specified	Not specified	20 minutes	Not specified
Source check	Partly unverified	Source verified	Source verified	Source verified

Max Mariola Roman style built on a splash of white wine

Pasta, amount, and cooking: Spaghetti (12.5g protein/100g or higher), serves 2
Salt in the cooking water: Not specified
Water volume and starch concentration: Not specified
How the guanciale is cut and rendered: 200g guanciale, cut into 0.5cm strips, rendered dry in its own fat with no added oil
Wine and acidity: Dry white wine, less than half a glass
Cheese (type, amount, timing): Fresh pecorino romano, shaved very thin, added in three additions
Method of emulsification: Over direct heat; pasta water and cheese are combined after the heat is turned off
Heat level: High heat to render the guanciale; finished with the heat off
Black pepper: Generous black pepper for a mottled speckle
Finish: Plated with the black pepper emphasized
Time required: Not specified
Source: Partly unverified

J. Kenji López-Alt A small pot of concentrated pasta water maximizes starch

Pasta, amount, and cooking: 227g bronze-die pasta (rigatoni, spaghetti, bucatini, or tonnarelli), serves 2
Salt in the cooking water: Light
Water volume and starch concentration: About 4cm deep in a small pot, kept minimal to raise starch concentration
How the guanciale is cut and rendered: 85g guanciale, cut into 1.3cm pieces, rendered over medium heat starting from 2 tbsp water, about 7 minutes
Wine and acidity: None
Cheese (type, amount, timing): 57g pecorino romano, three-quarters added off the heat, remaining quarter added at the end
Method of emulsification: Pasta water boiled hard over high heat to emulsify; cheese added off the heat
Heat level: Medium heat for the guanciale, high heat to emulsify, cheese added with the heat off
Black pepper: 1 tsp coarsely ground, bloomed in the fat first, plus more added at the end
Finish: Remaining pecorino and black pepper added
Time required: Not specified
Source: Source verified

Pasta Grammar Cacio e pepe-style bowl emulsion

Pasta, amount, and cooking: 185g ridged tube pasta such as rigatoni, serves 2
Salt in the cooking water: Well-salted water
Water volume and starch concentration: Not specified
How the guanciale is cut and rendered: 100g guanciale, small dice, cooked slowly over medium-low heat
Wine and acidity: None
Cheese (type, amount, timing): 70g pecorino romano, made into a cream with pasta water before tossing
Method of emulsification: Pasta water and cheese combined into a cream in a bowl first, cacio e pepe style
Heat level: Medium-low for the guanciale, finished off the heat with a 1-minute rest
Black pepper: Black pepper
Finish: Rested 1 minute, then tossed with pepper and cheese cream
Time required: 20 minutes
Source: Source verified

Vincenzo's Plate A two-stage finish using steam from the pasta pot

Pasta, amount, and cooking: 250g mezze maniche (rigatoni or spaghetti also work), serves 2
Salt in the cooking water: 1 tbsp rock salt
Water volume and starch concentration: Not specified
How the guanciale is cut and rendered: 150g guanciale, rind and fat included, all of it used, cut into strips
Wine and acidity: None
Cheese (type, amount, timing): 150g pecorino romano, mixed with black pepper first, then loosened with pasta water into a cream
Method of emulsification: Pan set on top of the still-hot pot; indirect steam heat keeps it at a gentle simmer while emulsifying
Heat level: Medium heat to cook the guanciale; the finish uses low heat via the pot's steam
Black pepper: Toasted alone in the pan for 1 minute before cooking; more added at the end
Finish: Reserved crisp guanciale scattered on at the very end
Time required: Not specified
Source: Source verified

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1

Pasta & boiling Brand, thickness, salt, water volume, cooking time

2 Base Fat and the main ingredient: rendering, infusing

3

Sauce & emulsion Where you toss, heat level, how much pasta water

4

Finish Cheese, pepper, finishing oil, plating

The map of schools: where the heat is managed

For Pasta alla gricia, the fork in the road is how you emulsify and heat

Toss over direct heat

The pan stays on the flame and your hands manage the temperature. Fast, but it takes feel.

Max Mariola
J. Kenji López-Alt

Indirect heat

Bain-marie, steam, double boiler or a hand blender. Repeatable, at the cost of one extra step.

Vincenzo's Plate

Off the heat

Emulsify after killing the flame, or in a bowl with only the pasta’s residual heat. Hard to get wrong.

Pasta Grammar

What to serve after this

In an Italian meal the primo (pasta) is followed by a secondo (main course)

Tuscany 60 min

Pollo alla cacciatora

Chicken pieces are browned in olive oil, then slowly braised with aromatic vegetables, wine and tomato. The name, meaning "hunter's style," is said to come from a stew hearty enough to fill a hunter waiting for game; tomato was not originally part of it and was added later. Northern versions tend to use white wine, southern versions red.

Pairs with: Pasta al Limone / Pasta alla gricia / Pesto alla trapanese

Putting the tomato-free, dry-flavored gricia first means its taste doesn't overlap with the cacciatora's tomato that follows, and the order of weight is never reversed.

Rome & Lazio 20 min

Saltimbocca alla romana

Thin-pounded veal is layered with sage and prosciutto, pinned with a toothpick, and sauteed in butter. The name means "jumps in the mouth" (salta in bocca). The salt of the prosciutto and the aroma of the sage make up for the veal's blandness, and the key is not to overcook the prosciutto side.

Pairs with: Pasta alla gricia / Cacio e pepe / Spaghetti alle vongole

The same Roman menu. A humble primo of just guanciale and pecorino leads straight into a secondo of prosciutto and butter, tied together by place.

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Compared on 11 axes

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The map of schools: where the heat is managed

Toss over direct heat

Indirect heat

Off the heat

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What to serve after this

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