Pasta with Amatriciana Sauce

Pasta all’Amatriciana

This is one of our most popular dish. Although it takes its name from Amatrice, a small town of Lazio region, today it is commonly associated with the city of Rome. But it’s also on the menu of all Italian restaurants. Bucatini is the traditional pasta for Amatriciana sauce, but sometimes I prefer to use penne or thick spaghetti, which is easier to eat. ....by the way...it is a recipe of my book Perfectly Pasta!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 40–50 minutes

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
¼ pound (110 grams) bacon, diced
3 cans Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately 14 ounces (400 grams) each, mashed with a fork
Salt, about 1½ teaspoons + 1½ tablespoons
Pepper to taste
Water, about 10 cups (2½ liters)
1 pound (450 grams) bucatini pasta
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, about ½ cup (120 milliliters)

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently. Add the bacon and let cook until crisp.
2.        Add the tomatoes, 1½ teaspoons salt, and pepper. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often, and add a little bit of water if the sauce starts to stick to the pan. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
3.        When the sauce is cooked, bring 10 cups (2½ liters) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1½ tablespoons of salt. Add the pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add most (about ¾) of the sauce and mix well.
4.        Spoon the remaining sauce on top of each serving of pasta. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese.

Notes:

·         You can use other kinds of Italian pasta, like penne or rigatoni, in place of the bucatini.
·         Some people like to use Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese instead of the Pecorino Romano.