Pasta with Amatriciana sauce is a traditional, zesty Italian pasta sauce, based on guanciale, (salt-cured pork jowl), pecorino cheese and tomato. Originating from the town of Amatrice (in the mountainous Province of Rieti of Lazio region), the Amatriciana is one of the most well-known pasta sauces in Roman and Italian cuisine. As you can imagine, the recipe is known in several variants, depending also on local availability of certain ingredients. While each one seems to agree about the usage of guanciale and tomato, onion is disliked in Amatrice and in the original recipe, but it is used in the classical handbooks of Roman cuisine. As for frying grease, olive oil is mostly used, but strutto (pork lard) is attested too. The addition of garlic sauteed in olive oil (“soffritto”) before adding guanciale is also possible, while as cheese either pecorino romano or Parmesan cheese can be used. The addition of black pepper or chili pepper is also possible, according to your tastes. This sauce is a perfect topping for strand pasta such as spaghetti. However, in traditional Amatrice cooking the pasta most often used include bucatini, perciatelli or even fresh ravioli.
Ingredients:
- 400 g of Penne rigate pasta
- 350 ml of tomato pulp
- 100 g of Guanciale or bacon
- 75 g of Percorino cheese PDO
- 1 spoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 glass of dry white wine
- 1 red pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation:
Cut the bacon into small cubes. Cook the bacon in a large pan with olive oil and minced chili pepper for few minutes on medium heat, until it gets slightly crisp, then, pour in the dry white wine.
When the wine has reduced, remove the bacon and add to pan the tomato pulp and cook it for few minutes on a low heat.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the penne pasta into the water and cook for 7/8 minutes over a medium heat.
When the pasta is cooked, drain penne from the water and add them to the pot of the tomato sauce where you have previously returned the crispy bacon. Stir and sauté for about a minute on a medium heat.
Sprinkle some Pecorino and pepper on and serve your Penne Pasta with Amatriciana sauce.
As a final touch, for a richer taste, you can garnish the plate with capers and black olives.
