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Pasta All'Amatriciana
June 13, 2008
Here's a simple, delicious recipe for an Italian classic. Although there are lots of recipes for Pasta All'Amatriciana floating around, most have been adapted to use bacon or pancetta since guanciale has not always been easy to find. And though bacon is indeed tasty, the other ingredients are so few and simple that the smokiness of the bacon can simply overpower them. Now that we have guanciale from Salumi Artisan Meats in the shop, enjoy this easy dish in all it's deliciously porky glory!
Pasta All’Amatriciana
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 pound guanciale, thickly sliced and cut into ½ inch pieces
1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
Salt to taste
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or other full flavored pecorino)
1 pound bucatini (or spaghetti)
Start a pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet, then add onion and garlic and sauté until onions are transparent and just starting to turn golden. Add in the guanciale and continue to sauté until it starts to brown. Roughly chop (or crush in your hand) the tomatoes and add them, juice and all, to skillet. Cook for about 15 minutes – until the sauce starts to smooth out and the flavors concentrate. Add the chili flakes and some salt. Stir in about 1/3 of the grated cheese to thicken the sauce a bit more. Salt to taste and remove from heat.
Meanwhile, cook your pastas until al dente. Drain and then add into the sauce in the skillet. Stir gently to combine over low heat until hot. Serve in warmed bowls and top with more cheese. Yum!
