Guanciale is an Italian salt-cured pork product made from a pig's cheek: The name comes from the Italian word guancia, which means "cheek". Guanciale has a strong flavor and is often used in pasta dishes to add an umami richness and a salty, velvety backbone to the sauce. Guanciale is fatty and has a high collagen content, which gives it a silky quality. Guanciale is a key ingredient in many traditional central Italian dishes, such as spaghetti alla carbonara and amatriciana. It can also be used on pizza, in salads, or in sandwiches.
Guanciale is an Italian salt-cured pork product made from a pig's cheek: The name comes from the Italian word guancia, which means "cheek". Guanciale has a strong flavor and is often used in pasta dishes to add an umami richness and a salty, velvety backbone to the sauce. Guanciale is fatty and has a high collagen content, which gives it a silky quality. Guanciale is a key ingredient in many traditional central Italian dishes, such as spaghetti alla carbonara and amatriciana. It can also be used on pizza, in salads, or in sandwiches.