Bucatini all’Amatriciana

A classic Roman sauce, “Amatriciana” is named after the nearby town of Amatrice, Italy. This sauce in “Bucatini allAmericana” is pure simplicity with an intense flavor all blended together and gets its robust gusto from only a handful of ingredients. Numerous interpretations for this recipe abound, but every version always includes perfectly red, sun-ripened Italian tomatoes, pancetta or guanciale, onions, garlic, and a sprinkle of fiery hot peperoncini (hot red pepper flakes). Amatriciana sauce is traditionally served with bucatini, similar to spaghetti, but with a long hollow tube through the entire noodle.

Purists will only use guanciala that has until recently, been difficult to locate in the States. But I’ve provided a link on Amazon for you to purchase it from where Mario Batalli sources it for his restaurants. It’s pricy stuff, but you can freeze what you don’t use for later. I’ve also provided less expensive cuts through my Amazon store on the sidebar.

The reason for the preference for guanciale (that originated in the Roman Lazio region of Italy) is that it is a cut of pork that has significantly more marbling and fat therefore imparting a richer, more intense meaty flavor than pancetta. But good pancetta makes a nice substitute.

When preparing this sauce, make sure that you use the best imported San Marzano Italian tomatoes that you can find and a high quality pancetta or guanciale, each of which is like bacon on crack!

This is not exactly a heart-healthy recipe. But if you’re like us and believe that pork rules, than you’ll be just fine with some fat every now and then. Eat your cabbage soup the day after you splurge on this pasta!

My husband and I prefer recipes a bit more ‘amped up’, yet perfectly balanced, so I’ve added my usual embellishments that accomplishes extra flavor very nicely.

Although this is a typical dish found in Roman homes, ristoranti and trattorie, it was in Northern Italy where we first enjoyed Bucatini all’Amatriciana. For our last dinner at the home of my family in Modena, my cousin Silvia (who works full time outside her home) insisted that we stay for one more meal. Since she works, we felt that this was too much for her. But Silvia insisted and said that the pasta she was preparing was neither difficult or time-consuming, “Not to worry, stay for dinner before you get on the road and drive to Florence.”

A huge, gigantic platter of Pasta all’Amatriciana was graciously presented to us to enjoy. We devoured the pasta in a perfectly spiced sauce studded with bits of pancetta. We loved it and asked Silvia about the recipe. My mother and I simply could not get over the flavor that resulted from such a simple combination of ingredients! Nor could we get over how quickly she had dinner ready on the table for us!

Delicious, easy, and fast enough to pull off in less than an hour! Works for me! I always keep canned Italian tomatoes in my pantry, as well as pasta, so all I have to do is get the pancetta/guanciale and pick the fresh herbs from my garden right outside my kitchen. I’ll always buy a little more pancetta/guanciale to freeze (as I do with almost every food item that freezes) because we live so far out of town on the acreage. By doing this we keep our freezers constantly stocked so all I have to do is just pull something out when I need it after work.

For my version, I added some basil, rosemary, sage, Italian parsley and red wine . . . simply because my herb garden is ripe and ready to use. And I had a nice bottle of red wine given to me from a student in one of my classes whose Italian father produces a delicious family wine.

Totally irresistable and seductive!

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

What You Need:

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 12 oz. pancetta or guanciale
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. peperoncini (dried red pepper flakes)
• 2 Tbsp. red wine
• 28 oz. can San Marzano pureed tomatoes
• freshly grated sea salt
• freshly grated black pepper
• 2 tsp. sugar (or 1/2 cup shredded carrot)
• 2 large basil leaves
• 1 large sage leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
• 1 lb. Bucatini pasta noodles
• 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water
• Garnish: minced Italian parsley and chopped sautéed pancetta (previously set aside)
• Pass the grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiana)

Instructions

Heat a heavy sauce pan on the stove.

Add the olive oil and warm it up, but do not burn.

Add the chopped pancetta or guanciale; saute' for about 10 minutes until darkened.

Remove about 1/3 cup of the pancetta for garnishing later.

Add chopped onion, saute' until clear, about 5 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook for another 5 minutes; watch closely and do not burn the garlic.

Add the peperonicin (red pepper flakes)

Add the wine.

Cook all of the above for about 5 minutes for the alcohol to cook out.

Add the tomatoes/tomato puree.

Season to taste with freshly cracked sea salt and black pepper.

Add sugar (or shredded carrots) sauce to the point that it is no longer bitter (taste, taste, taste).

Cook the sauce on a low simmer temperature until thick, about 15 - 20 minutes.

(Place a metal baking pan between the stove heat source and the pot of sauce so that the sauce does not burn while simmering).

Occasionally stirring the sauce to prevent sticking to the pan.

Meanwhile, fill a large, deep pot full of water and bring to a boil.

Add about 2 Tbsp. salt to the water.

When boiling, place the bucatini pasta into the hot water and cook until 'al dente' (about 10 minutes)

Strain the pasta, but KEEP about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and add to the tomato sauce to desired level of thickness.

Garnish with some of the sautéed pancetta that was set aside earlier.

Garnish with some minced Italian parsley for a pretty addition of green color.

Pass the grated Pecorino-Romano cheese around to guests.

2.2

http://www.italianbellavita.com/2013/04/bucatini-allamatriciana/

Just look at this beautiful pancetta!

Slice the pancetta into 1/4″ thick slices (or have your butcher do this for you).

Then slice the pancetta into 1/4″ wide strips.

Chop up the strips of pancetta.

Saute’ pancetta in the olive oil.

Add the onions, saute’ and add the peperoncini (red pepper flakes).

Set aside about 1/3 cup of sauteed pancetta for garnishing later.

Add chopped garlic, rosemary, sage, and basil.

Add the pureed San Marzano tomatoes.

Blend all ingredients thoroughly.

Finally, add the chopped Italian parsley to give the sauce a lovely green accent and additional flavor!

Simmer on the stove for about 20 – 30 minutes. The sauce should be THICK, not runny, thin or liquidy. When you strain the pasta, pour about a half cup of the pasta water into the sauce. There will also be a little bit of water in the tubular pasta. This adds flavor and a little more thickener for the sauce.

Enjoy! This is a very hearty, filling pasta that I hope you will try!

Garnish with the chopped pancetta that you previously set aside.

Sprinkle a little more chopped Italian parsley over the pasta and sauce.

Pass the Pecorino-Romano cheese around to your guests.

Below is another recipe using the bucatini pasta noodle with a red pepper sauce that is especially great for those who prefer to eat less or no meat in their nutrition:

Bucatini with Roasted Sweet Red Pepper Sauce