Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

Spaghetti all'amatriciana

First out in our new feature, Saturday recipe for Sunday lunch, is a basic and hearty dish, Spaghetti all’Amatriciana, a symbol of Italian culinary tradition.

The original recipe, created in Amatrice, a small town in Lazio on the border with Abruzzo, laying down strictly on spaghetti, even so much that the signs at the city border says “Amatrice, City of Spaghetti.”

Over time the recipe was acquired by the Roman cuisine which has changed one of the basic ingredients, spaghetti with bucatini. We will develop the discussion on Italians and their rigorous view on pasta later, but for now, lets start cooking.

Ingredients
200 grams of Guanciale*
salt

pepper
peperoncino
80 g pecorino
600 g spaghetti
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
350 g tomato sauce

Guanciale

*Guanciale is an nonsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig’s jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, Italian for cheek. Pork cheek is rubbed with salt, ground black pepper or red pepper and cured for at least three weeks. Its flavour is stronger than other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate. It’s a delicacy of Central Italy, particularly Umbria and Lazio.A lightly smoked bacon can be used as a substitute.

Preparation

While heating the oil in a deep pan, cut the guanciale into cubes and fry them lightly in the hot olive oil, then add peperoncino, pepper, tomato and the salt and let it cook for about 20 minutes.

Spaghetti all'amatriciana

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti really “al dente”, ( or almost ready), drain well. Put them in the sauce and let it all cook together for a minute. This way the spaghetti takes up

Before serving, sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese and black pepper .

In a modern version which makes it a bit more tasty,you let an onion fry with the guanciale, then add half a glass of white wine. Raise the heat to make it evaporate, then proceed as above.