Pasta Amatriciana
Published Sept. 25, 2022
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4ounces guanciale or pancetta, chopped into ¼-inch cubes (¾ cup)
- 1(28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands in a bowl
- ⅛teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- ⅛teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1pound dried bucatini
- ¾cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
644 calories; 21 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 92 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 819 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add guanciale and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. To the skillet, add tomatoes, black pepper and red-pepper flakes, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and smashing tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon, until tomatoes have broken down and sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain.
- Step 3
Add pasta, tomato sauce and ½ cup of pasta cooking water back to the large pasta pot and stir vigorously over medium-high heat until pasta is evenly coated in the sauce, about 1 minute. (Add more pasta water if sauce is dry.) Remove from heat, stir in the cheese and season to taste with salt.
- Step 4
Divide pasta among bowls and garnish with more cheese and black pepper.
Private Notes
Comments
The bucatini shortage in America is real and has been documented. Reasons include pandemic shortages and the difficulty of making it. For what it's worth, Italians often prefer spaghetti with amatriciana because bucatini is difficult to eat without sending the tomato sauce flying. (It doesn't readily wrap around a fork like spaghetti.) So it makes a mess on your nice clothes, and here in Italy we care as much about our clothes as our pasta.
Great sauce, and it freezes well for future meals. I add a small, finely chopped onion when cooking the pancetta, as Marcela Hazan suggests, and it adds depth.
This is similar to the way I learned to make it from my Roman friend, but always remove/set aside the guanciale after it crisps and return it just before serving so it stays that crispy. Also I agree with Luca on limiting ingredients, but for me hot pepper is a must, and salt your pasta water till it tastes like the sea. I never needed to add pasta water to the sauce for this dish. Lastly, with a dish this simple, you must get the best tomatoes, cheese and pasta you can find.
Obsessed with this. I increase the guanciale to 8oz but otherwise make as written. Perfect.
I add onion. Sue me.
Very simple, quick, and tasty. Can confirm what others have said that this is a crowd pleaser for both adults and pickier kids. Next time I'm going to try adding onions or shallots as some of the other commenters have suggested.
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