Tagliolini with lemon, pepper and guanciale

Tagliolini with lemon, pepper and guanciale

“Everything tastes better with butter – and lemon, dare I say. In this recipe, guanciale is cooked ceremoniously on its own in a pan to make it crisp. When it meets the velvety lemon-based sauce and is spiced up with fragrant toasted black pepper, it’s a match made in heaven…” – Eleonora Galasso.

Tagliolini with lemon, pepper and guanciale

  • Serves icon Serves 6
  • Time icon Hands-on time 35 min

“Everything tastes better with butter – and lemon, dare I say. In this recipe, guanciale is cooked ceremoniously on its own in a pan to make it crisp. When it meets the velvety lemon-based sauce and is spiced up with fragrant toasted black pepper, it’s a match made in heaven…” – Eleonora Galasso.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
579kcals
Fat
27.5g (9g saturated)
Protein
19.3g
Carbohydrates
61g (2.2g sugars)
Fibre
4.9g
Salt
1.5g

Ingredients

  • 20 whole black peppercorns
  • 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • Finely grated zest and juice 2 lemons
  • Small bunch fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 50g black taggiasca olives (or other black olives), pitted and roughly chopped
  • 50g parmesan, finely grated
  • 20g unsalted butter
  • 200g guanciale, cut into 1cm cubes
  • 500g tagliolini pasta
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Method

  1. Toast the peppercorns in a small, dry frying pan over a gentle heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then grind or crush them to a rough powder using a pestle and mortar.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the shallot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the lemon juice along with half the crushed black pepper and half the thyme, then cook for 2 more minutes. Take the pan off the heat and immediately add half the olives, the parmesan and butter, letting the butter and cheese melt 
in the residual heat of the pan.
  3. Meanwhile, fry the guanciale pieces in a small frying pan over a medium heat, stirring, for 10 minutes until lightly golden (you won’t need any oil as the guanciale will release its fat). Spoon off and discard half the fat from the pan, then set the fried guanciale and remaining fat aside.
  4. Bring a large saucepan of well salted water to the boil, add the tagliolini and cook until al dente (firm to the bite), according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water, then return the tagliolini to the pan.
  5. Pour the lemon/olive mixture over the pasta, then add the crispy guanciale and its fat. Quickly stir everything together, adding a splash or two of the reserved cooking → water, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Sprinkle over the rest of the thyme, olives and pepper and the lemon zest, then serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories
579kcals
Fat
27.5g (9g saturated)
Protein
19.3g
Carbohydrates
61g (2.2g sugars)
Fibre
4.9g
Salt
1.5g

delicious. tips

  1. Guanciale is an Italian cured pork meat made from the pig’s jowl or cheek. If you can’t find it, use pancetta or bacon lardons instead.

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