Guanciale is a type of salumi made from cured pork cheek, and is similar – although importantly different – to bacon and pancetta. The cheek is cured in salt and flavoured with pepper, sage, rosemary and garlic, although this can differ depending on the region it is made. It’s then left to cure for around three months, to allow the flavours to develop. It is a fatty cut that is often sold thinly sliced, and our collection of guanciale recipes will show you how to make the most of it.

In Italy, it is unheard of to make celebrated pasta dishes such as Spaghetti alla carbonara, Bucatini all’Amatriciana and Pasta alla Gricia without guanciale, so be sure to cook them if you have some to hand. For something more unusual, try Fracesco Bracali’s Eel tempura with smoked lardo sauce, vinegar jelly and onion ice cream, or put your pasta-making skills to the test with Giancarlo Morelli’s Potato, mint and pecorino ravioli with guanciale. Amatriciana sauce – of which guanciale is a key ingredient – is also used by chefs in dishes other than the classic, such as Linguine with cod and Amatriciana sauce or Rigatoni with shiso pesto, guanciale and Amatriciana sauce.