[2] Its rendered fat gives flavour to and thickens the sauce of pasta dishes.

[3] Guanciale[4] is usually rubbed with just salt and ground black pepper by cooks in Rome, but some producers use other spices, herbs, peperoncino[3] or red pepper,[5] and sometimes garlic.

Its flavour is stronger than that of other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate.

Guanciale may be cut and eaten directly in small portions, but is often used as an ingredient in pasta dishes[4] such as spaghetti alla carbonara and sauces such as sugo all'amatriciana.

Pancetta, a cured Italian bacon that is normally not smoked, is sometimes used as a substitute when guanciale is not available.