Italian cooking

Pastiera Napoletana - Neapolitan Easter Cake

Neapolitan Pastiera, Pastiera Napoletana in Italian, is a typical soft and fragrant Easter cake made in several familiar versions although the main ingredients are always the same: cooked wheat grain, ricotta cheese and citrus fruit, usually orange blossom water or orange zest and lemon zest. If you don’t have orange blossom water you can use orange essence or orange peel. Originally was used lard, but it is increasingly being replaced with butter or even half butter and half lard.

The filling was traditionally prepared the day before, as for the cream of wheat which was soaked for about 2-3 days so that the flavours were better released.

However, the use of the pre-cooked wheat grain is just perfect and widely used since it's a more manageable option that halves the time and makes preparation easier, just like I also do.

You can find cooked wheat as ‘Grano Cotto‘ sold in jars on-line.

Pastiera was created in the 16th century and its recipe has been modified and perfected until it was recognised as a traditional food product of Campania.

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caseydog said:
Without trying, I have come upon three YouTube videos about the sandwiches at All'Antico Vinaio in Firenze. Do you know anything about the place? The sandwiches look amazing!

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CD
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I have been there a couple of times when in Firenze and although I may sound biased, they are among the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. Very fat and tasty
 

Guanciale, Italian Cured Pork Jowl (Cheek)​

Oh the age-old debate 'guanciale o pancetta?' :)

Personally, I always find it quite amusing although I admit that I have sometimes given in and used smoked bacon for Carbonara when I couldn't find guanciale.
Yes, the taste is different, but why deny yourself a dish of Carbonara just because you can't find the guanciale? And yes again, I'm in favour of replacing guanciale for pancetta - as long as it doesn't become the rule, haha, and with respect for tradition.

I don't know how many of you manage to find guanciale outside Italy, in fact here we certainly have the advantage of being better able to find it, even in regions like mine (Lombardy) where it was not particularly well known years ago, but has now caught up.

Lazio, Umbria, Tuscany and the southern regions were certainly more accustomed to the use of guanciale. Lazio then has a real culinary history and tradition that can be summed up in the guanciale of Amatrice, a small town that gave birth to pasta all'Amatriciana (guanciale, tomato sauce and Pecorino cheese).


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Guanciale is a cut of meat, later transformed into cured meat, typical of Central and part of Southern Italy, but it finds its greatest fame in the town of Amatrice, Lazio region (where Rome is located), from which it takes its name Pasta all’Amatriciana (traditionally bucatini) where Guanciale is the main ingredient, as well as Pasta alla Gricia and Pasta alla Carbonara pasta-alla-carbonara where traditionally guanciale is always present, never pancetta.

The cuts of Guanciale are however different with different spices depending on the region and with different maturations.

It is made up of a white part of fine fat and a lean part which is the bright red muscle and its flavour is smoky, savoury and slightly spicy.

So, are Guanciale and Pancetta the same thing?
Nope, they are not.

Guanciale is made from the cheek (in Italian ‘guancia’, hence the name guanciale) or even throat of the pork, processed then seasoned with salt and pepper and often with herbs such as garlic, sage and rosemary and sometimes chilli pepper, then left to mature for at least 3 months hung with a string. Finally, it is placed near a fireplace with an oak wood fire for light smoking. Guanciale has a much more intense flavour and a firmer consistency than pancetta and is more caloric than pancetta.

Pancetta, on the other hand, is made from the belly (in Italian ‘pancia’ hence the name) of the pork and must be matured for just 20 days.

How to cook Guanciale?

It is an ingredient used to replace vegetable fats in oil with high quality animal fats. For this reason, when you fry Guanciale there is no need to add any oil because its fat will melt and release all its flavour for the pasta sauce. Just cut Guanciale into not too much thick strips, heat a non-stick pan, fry them over a very low heat. When it has become translucent after a few minutes, turn up the heat for 1-2 minutes to make it crispy by frying it in its own fat. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent them from burning.

On the contrary, when frying pancetta, a little oil is required because of the reduced amount of fat that would come out in the pan.
 
MypinchofItaly said:

Guanciale, Italian Cured Pork Jowl (Cheek)​

Oh the age-old debate 'guanciale o pancetta?' :)

Personally, I always find it quite amusing although I admit that I have sometimes given in and used smoked bacon for Carbonara when I couldn't find guanciale.
Yes, the taste is different, but why deny yourself a dish of Carbonara just because you can't find the guanciale? And yes again, I'm in favour of replacing guanciale for pancetta - as long as it doesn't become the rule, haha, and with respect for tradition.

I don't know how many of you manage to find guanciale outside Italy, in fact here we certainly have the advantage of being better able to find it, even in regions like mine (Lombardy) where it was not particularly well known years ago, but has now caught up.

Lazio, Umbria, Tuscany and the southern regions were certainly more accustomed to the use of guanciale. Lazio then has a real culinary history and tradition that can be summed up in the guanciale of Amatrice, a small town that gave birth to pasta all'Amatriciana (guanciale, tomato sauce and Pecorino cheese).


View attachment 62517

View attachment 62518


Guanciale is a cut of meat, later transformed into cured meat, typical of Central and part of Southern Italy, but it finds its greatest fame in the town of Amatrice, Lazio region (where Rome is located), from which it takes its name Pasta all’Amatriciana (traditionally bucatini) where Guanciale is the main ingredient, as well as Pasta alla Gricia and Pasta alla Carbonara pasta-alla-carbonara where traditionally guanciale is always present, never pancetta.

The cuts of Guanciale are however different with different spices depending on the region and with different maturations.

It is made up of a white part of fine fat and a lean part which is the bright red muscle and its flavour is smoky, savoury and slightly spicy.

So, are Guanciale and Pancetta the same thing?
Nope, they are not.

Guanciale is made from the cheek (in Italian ‘guancia’, hence the name guanciale) or even throat of the pork, processed then seasoned with salt and pepper and often with herbs such as garlic, sage and rosemary and sometimes chilli pepper, then left to mature for at least 3 months hung with a string. Finally, it is placed near a fireplace with an oak wood fire for light smoking. Guanciale has a much more intense flavour and a firmer consistency than pancetta and is more caloric than pancetta.

Pancetta, on the other hand, is made from the belly (in Italian ‘pancia’ hence the name) of the pork and must be matured for just 20 days.

How to cook Guanciale?

It is an ingredient used to replace vegetable fats in oil with high quality animal fats. For this reason, when you fry Guanciale there is no need to add any oil because its fat will melt and release all its flavour for the pasta sauce. Just cut Guanciale into not too much thick strips, heat a non-stick pan, fry them over a very low heat. When it has become translucent after a few minutes, turn up the heat for 1-2 minutes to make it crispy by frying it in its own fat. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent them from burning.

On the contrary, when frying pancetta, a little oil is required because of the reduced amount of fat that would come out in the pan.
Click to expand...
This was very informative and useful, thank you. I saw you bought Guanciale, here, but prior I never knew it existed.

We can obtain lots of Pancettas here( we pronounce it Panzetta), but I rarely use it, if I need bacon, I use the softer type, here called Hamburger bacon.

But I will certainly want to make true Carbonara with Guanciale one day.
 
Timenspace said:
This was very informative and useful, thank you. I saw you bought Guanciale, here, but prior I never knew it existed.

We can obtain lots of Pancettas here( we pronounce it Panzetta), but I rarely use it, if I need bacon, I use the softer type, here called Hamburger bacon.

But I will certainly want to make true Carbonara with Guanciale one day.
Click to expand...

We also have the softer pancetta here, it's usually sliced and similar to bacon in appearance.

I often use pancetta ( I like that you pronounce it Panzetta, it's also said here but in a funny way), it's also cheaper than guanciale. But when I find a good piece of guanciale and want to make some traditional dishes, I buy it without delay. I admit, the taste is something else, even just the smell of it when it sizzles in the pan.
I hope you can try it one day and tell me what you think.

I once made Amatriciana using pancetta (I couldn't find guanciale but I was craving for it), trying to fool a Roman by saying it was guanciale. I said 'ah, it's not guanciale? Damn them, they sold me bacon instead of guanciale, they'll hear from me tomorrow!'
The answer was 'bella, you come and steal at the thief's house?' oh Lord, I've never heard this saying but I laughed.
 
Rocklobster said:
We can get it also, but have to drive to the city to the Italian Grocer...I make my own when I can get some jowls...I also make pancetta which works well in many dishes so it's a close second..


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Oh, it's lovely! You made yours? Wow :thumbsup:

Are these in the photos the ones you made?
What seasoning do you usually use?
 
MypinchofItaly said:

Guanciale, Italian Cured Pork Jowl (Cheek)​

Oh the age-old debate 'guanciale o pancetta?' :)

Personally, I always find it quite amusing although I admit that I have sometimes given in and used smoked bacon for Carbonara when I couldn't find guanciale.
Yes, the taste is different, but why deny yourself a dish of Carbonara just because you can't find the guanciale? And yes again, I'm in favour of replacing guanciale for pancetta - as long as it doesn't become the rule, haha, and with respect for tradition.

I don't know how many of you manage to find guanciale outside Italy, in fact here we certainly have the advantage of being better able to find it, even in regions like mine (Lombardy) where it was not particularly well known years ago, but has now caught up.

Lazio, Umbria, Tuscany and the southern regions were certainly more accustomed to the use of guanciale. Lazio then has a real culinary history and tradition that can be summed up in the guanciale of Amatrice, a small town that gave birth to pasta all'Amatriciana (guanciale, tomato sauce and Pecorino cheese).


View attachment 62517

View attachment 62518


Guanciale is a cut of meat, later transformed into cured meat, typical of Central and part of Southern Italy, but it finds its greatest fame in the town of Amatrice, Lazio region (where Rome is located), from which it takes its name Pasta all’Amatriciana (traditionally bucatini) where Guanciale is the main ingredient, as well as Pasta alla Gricia and Pasta alla Carbonara pasta-alla-carbonara where traditionally guanciale is always present, never pancetta.

The cuts of Guanciale are however different with different spices depending on the region and with different maturations.

It is made up of a white part of fine fat and a lean part which is the bright red muscle and its flavour is smoky, savoury and slightly spicy.

So, are Guanciale and Pancetta the same thing?
Nope, they are not.

Guanciale is made from the cheek (in Italian ‘guancia’, hence the name guanciale) or even throat of the pork, processed then seasoned with salt and pepper and often with herbs such as garlic, sage and rosemary and sometimes chilli pepper, then left to mature for at least 3 months hung with a string. Finally, it is placed near a fireplace with an oak wood fire for light smoking. Guanciale has a much more intense flavour and a firmer consistency than pancetta and is more caloric than pancetta.

Pancetta, on the other hand, is made from the belly (in Italian ‘pancia’ hence the name) of the pork and must be matured for just 20 days.

How to cook Guanciale?

It is an ingredient used to replace vegetable fats in oil with high quality animal fats. For this reason, when you fry Guanciale there is no need to add any oil because its fat will melt and release all its flavour for the pasta sauce. Just cut Guanciale into not too much thick strips, heat a non-stick pan, fry them over a very low heat. When it has become translucent after a few minutes, turn up the heat for 1-2 minutes to make it crispy by frying it in its own fat. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent them from burning.

On the contrary, when frying pancetta, a little oil is required because of the reduced amount of fat that would come out in the pan.
Click to expand...

I can get Guanciale here, but I have to do some driving, and pay through the nose for it. I can get pancetta at my local supermarket. But, I have to admit, if I make carbonara, and American bacon is what I already have in the house, that's what I use. I don't like to be wasteful, and driving to the store, and buying pancetta for one bowl of carbonara when I already have bacon in the fridge/freezer, just seems wasteful, to me.

If I were having friends over for carbonara, sure, I'd go get some guanciale or pancetta. But for one serving for myself, I'm fine with bacon.

CD
 
Hungry Man said:
Whenever I have Guanciale, I'm making carbonara. Perhaps MypinchofItaly can suggest us some other recipes with guanciale :)
Click to expand...
Pasta Amatriciana is also good..it is with guanciale, tomatoes and onions...
I also use it as a base when I make stews or bean dishes...the fat is very flavorful..
 
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