Amatriciana

Amatriciana

 

 

     A Traditional dish from the Lazio region of Italy typically served with a bucatini pasta noodle and often found in Rome this dish is the perfect amount of spice, tomatoey goodness, and satisfaction that it will quickly become one of your favorite pasta dishes. So easy to make that it only takes roughly about 15 minutes from start to finish.

    

      Many people think that there is only one tomato pasta dish here in America, specifically just spaghetti. In fact many people think that the red sauce is just called spaghetti sauce but this is a fallacy. There are so many different "red" or tomato based sauces in Italy that they all have their own names and all taste very differently. Yes the basis is roughly the same but as I stated they taste much differently from each other. Every region has their type of dish. This one comes from the Lazio region and is actually named after the town of Amatrice. The traditional dish uses guanciale which is pork cheek, but I used pancetta as that was the only closest thing I could find at my market. Please enjoy, (and give this a try), my Amatriciana.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg sliced pancetta
• 1/2 small white onion
• 12 oz can crushed tomato
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup shredded pecorino cheese
• Olive oil
• Pasta of choice

     Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil to cook your pasta. I used homemade spaghetti alla chitarra using my grandmother’s old chitarra board. For a good pasta recipe check here: http://www.recipesiliveby.blogspot.com/2013/04/Fresh-Pasta.html.

 

     Meanwhile dice up the onion and pancetta and sauté in a pan in a little olive oil until fragrant and the onion has become translucent. Next chop and sauté the garlic until the smell fills the air. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and chili flakes. Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Right before serving stir in the pecorino cheese till it melts and incorporates. Toss with pasta and serve.

 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes.

Serves 2-4.