Bucatini all’Amatriciana Rossa

Pasta all’Amatriciana, pasta in the style of Amatrice, a small town in northern Lazio, is fraught with varying recipes and vague histories. Rossa or bianca. Onions or no onions. Red pepper or not. Bucatini is the common pasta, but rigatoni and spaghetti are not unknown. So shrouded in uncertainty is the dish that the Times even published an article on the debate.

Bucatini all’Amatriciana Rossa

The one constant is guanciale, a cured pork product similar to pancetta. Like pancetta, guanciale is not smoked and offers a richer, spicier flavor than plain 'ol bacon. Compared to pancetta, however, guanciale—made from pork jowls as opposed to belly—is even spicier and has a softer texture and a more complex taste. Guanciale is hard to find in the US—it isn't even ubiquitous in Italy—but worth the hunt. If unavailable, pancetta is an acceptable substitute.

Guanciale

This recipe is an authentic approach, in so far as I aim to recreate the traditional dish. But, even more so than other regional Italian dishes, few agree on pasta all’Amatriciana recipes. Thus what follows is my ruling on the debate: bucatini, onions, red sauce, garlic, and pepper flakes.

Bucatini

Makes four servings.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon grape seed oil
1 lb guanciale, julienned into 1" x 1/4" matchsticks
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, pealed and sliced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 cup simple tomato sauce (recipe)
1 lb bucatini
1/4 cup Pecorino-Romano, plus more to garnish
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to boil.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the grape seed oil. Add the guanciale and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders from the meat and the guanciale is just brown.

Discard all but about two tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the saute pan. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Lower heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes.

Simmering the sauce

While simmering, add the bucatini to the pot and cook until a minute before al dente. Drain and add the bucatini to the sauce. Stirring, cook for 60 seconds.

Folding the Pecorino-Romano into the sauce

Remove from heat. Add the Pecorino-Romano to the sauce. Fold in. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Bucatini all'Amatriciana, plated

Plate, garnished with more Pecorino-Romano. Serve immediately. Pairs well with a syrah from the Northern Rhône.