There is not much sweetness without a little fat

The status of lard, as a desirable or undesirable food, has been discussed in the media for years and periodically changes – while some swear by the benefits of its consumption, some still avoid it. The fact is that our old people regularly consumed lard and – for the most part, were quite healthier than us.

A rich source of vitamins

By itself, it is by no means the ultimate evil in anyone’s kitchen, but you need to know how much and when to eat, and the consumption of fat itself should be combined with a more active lifestyle. Perhaps this was the reason that our ancestors had no problems with it – they led a much more active life than we do today, when it is quite sedentary.

Namely, fat contains very valuable ingredients for our body – besides being rich in vitamins A, D, and E, fat generally helps in the absorption of vitamins. The Italians seem to have discovered this long before us, so they stopped being upset about it and – without any remorse – enjoy guanciale, something many of us will mistake for pancetta. But it’s not pancetta.

Guanciale vs. pancetta

Guanciale are specially processed and dried pork cheeks, while pancetta meat is taken from the pork belly. A fresh piece of meat with the skin is removed from the pig’s jaw and cut into triangles or squares, after which, depending on the size of the piece, it is sprinkled with sea salt for several days. Then the meat is cleaned of salt and seasoned with a few more spices, among which ground black pepper is indispensable. After that, the meat is left to age for two months in a room with controlled temperature and humidity.

Compared to pancetta, guanciale fat is a bit more consistent and harder than belly or back fat, which are fluffier, so basically the quality of the fat in guanciale is therefore more valuable. Besides being known as one of the key ingredients of one of the most famous Italian pasta dishes – pasta carbonara, guanciale is also served thinly sliced ​​on a crusty slice of bread.

We put guanciale on one of our pizzas – Elletra. There we combined it with numerous foods with intense and truly special aromas: parmesan, truffle, gorgonzola, grated black truffle, and there is also the inevitable fior di latte.

You can find out for yourself during your visit to our pizzeria what this bold combination tastes like!