Guanciale is an unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig's jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, Italian for cheek. Pork cheek is rubbed with salt, ground black pepper or red pepper and cured for three weeks. Its flavor is stronger than other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate. Italian food purists generally prefer Guanciale over Pancetta for some recipes such as Pasta all'Amatriciana or Spaghetti alla Carbonara.