Pasta all'Amatriciana
Savor the bold flavors of classic Pasta all'Amatriciana, where guanciale meets tangy tomatoes and pecorino.
Ingredients
- 400 g bucatini or spaghetti
- 250 g guanciale
- 400 g passata or chopped tomatoes
- 1 dl dry white wine
- 80 g pecorino romano, finely grated
- 1 tsp dried chili
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp salt for pasta water
How to make it
- Cut the guanciale into strips. Put it in a cold large pan and set it over medium heat, then let the fat render slowly until the pieces are crisp and the pan is coated with clear rendered fat, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Pour off excess fat if there is a lot, leaving enough to coat the pan. Add the dried chili and black pepper, then stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the white wine and let it bubble strongly for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
- Stir in the passata or chopped tomatoes and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until the sauce looks slightly thickened and rounded, while the guanciale stays crisp at the edges.
- Meanwhile, cook the bucatini or spaghetti in a large pot of water seasoned with the salt until al dente, then reserve 1 dl of the starchy cooking water and drain the pasta.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce with a splash of the reserved cooking water and toss over low heat until the strands are evenly coated and glossy.
- Take the pan off the heat, add most of the pecorino romano and toss until the sauce turns creamy and clings to the pasta; loosen with a little more reserved cooking water if needed.
- Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls, twirled into a neat mound with the crisp guanciale visible on top and the remaining pecorino sprinkled over.
