Pasta Amatriciana
Marcella Hazan titled the recipe “Amatriciana – Tomato Saucewith Pancetta and Chili Pepper.” To me, the aged cheese plays too important ofa role to go uncredited. To me it is “Amatriciana – Spicy Tomato Sauce with CuredPork and Aged Grating Cheese.”
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 4 oz guanciale, pancetta or bacon see notes
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 medium onion (6-8 oz) diced
- 2 oz dry white wine
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 2 oz aged grating cheese, plus more for serving see notes
- 1 lb dried pasta see notes
Instructions
- Dice the cured pork into small cubes. Sauté over medium low with a tablespoon of olive oil. The goal is to fully render the fat out of the pork before the pork begins to crisp up.
- After the fat has rendered, add the red pepper flakes, and sauté another minute, allowing the red pepper flake's flavor to begin to infuse through the fat.
- Add the onions to the pan, and turn the heat up to medium. The goal is to gently sweat the onions in the pork fat, along with the pork and pepper flakes, not to brown the onions. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent. If they begin to brown, turn the heat back down to medium-low.
- Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any bits of pork that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Sauté until the wine has mostly evaporated.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan, stir to combine, and simmer while the pasta is boiled.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to the package directions.
- Stir the grated cheese into the sauce and taste for seasoning. The pork and the cheese will bring varying amounts of salt to the dish depending on brand and variety. Add salt if necessary.
- Stir the cooked and drained pasta into the sauce. Plate and garnish with extra grated cheese.
Notes
- Guanciale (cured pork jowl) is the most traditional of the cured pork options for Amatriciana. Pancetta (cured pork belly) is a common substitute. Bacon (cured and smoked pork belly) is the easiest of the three to procure in the US. The smoke will be apparent in the flavor of the final dish. Some people prefer the smokiness, others dislike it, and others are fine either way.
- Pecorino Romano is the most traditional cheese to use for Amatriciana. Many recipes specify a blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano. I like to use a locally produced cheese made in the style of aged Asiago.
- Bucatini, a long, thin pasta with a whole through it's center, is very traditional to pair with Amatriciana. But short, tubular pastas also work nicely, such as penne or rigatoni.
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