pasta

Last updated: 2026-03-13 Quick Answer: Guanciale is an Italian salt-cured meat made from pork jowl or cheeks. The name comes from guancia, the Italian word for “cheek.” It cures for about a month with salt, black pepper, and herbs. That process gives it a smooth, buttery richness. It is the key ingredient in Roman pastas like carbonara, amatriciana, and gricia….