Bucatini all'Amatriciana (pasta with spicy tomato sauce)

Boston Globe

18-02-2025

Serves 4
While often thought of as a Roman dish, Bucatini all'Amatriciana originated in the town of Amatrice, northeast of Rome. It's a dish made with a kind of thick spaghetti (bucatini's long strands are hollow), spicy tomato sauce, and guanciale (cured pork cheek). Before tomatoes were introduced to Italy in the 16th century, the dish was known as Pasta alla Gricia, made using only guanciale, pecorino Romano, and black pepper. Tomatoes and red pepper flakes came later. Today, the ingredients are still few, making this a quick and enticing supper. Guanciale is often hard to find, but diced pancetta, made from cured pork belly, is a good substitute. Don't be tempted to add garlic, onion, or butter to the dish, since they interfere with the essential flavors. Be sure to grate your own cheese. When a dish has only a few ingredients, every one counts. Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
¼ cup white wine or water
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled imported tomatoes, crushed in a bowl
1 pound bucatini pasta
1½ ounces pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated (about 1 cup)
Extra freshly grated pecorino Romano (for serving) 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Turn the heat to low while you make the sauce.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the guanciale or pancetta and cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Add the red pepper and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
3. Add the wine or water to the skillet. Cook, stirring with a rubber spatula to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Turn down the heat and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or red pepper, if you like.
5. Meanwhile, return the large pot of water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally for 9 minutes, or 1 minute less than the package directions. The pasta should be slightly undercooked; it cooks a little more in the sauce. With a heatproof measuring cup, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water.
6. With tongs, remove the pasta from the pot and transfer to the sauce. Add about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. If needed, add more pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, to keep the sauce from drying out.
7. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheese. Divide the pasta and sauce among 4 shallow bowls. Serve with extra cheese.
Sally Pasley Vargas
Serves 4
While often thought of as a Roman dish, Bucatini all'Amatriciana originated in the town of Amatrice, northeast of Rome. It's a dish made with a kind of thick spaghetti (bucatini's long strands are hollow), spicy tomato sauce, and guanciale (cured pork cheek). Before tomatoes were introduced to Italy in the 16th century, the dish was known as Pasta alla Gricia, made using only guanciale, pecorino Romano, and black pepper. Tomatoes and red pepper flakes came later. Today, the ingredients are still few, making this a quick and enticing supper. Guanciale is often hard to find, but diced pancetta, made from cured pork belly, is a good substitute. Don't be tempted to add garlic, onion, or butter to the dish, since they interfere with the essential flavors. Be sure to grate your own cheese. When a dish has only a few ingredients, every one counts.
Salt and black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch chunks ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste ¼ cup white wine or water 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled imported tomatoes, crushed in a bowl 1 pound bucatini pasta 1½ ounces pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated (about 1 cup) Extra freshly grated pecorino Romano (for serving)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Turn the heat to low while you make the sauce.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the guanciale or pancetta and cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Add the red pepper and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
3. Add the wine or water to the skillet. Cook, stirring with a rubber spatula to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Turn down the heat and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or red pepper, if you like.
5. Meanwhile, return the large pot of water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally for 9 minutes, or 1 minute less than the package directions. The pasta should be slightly undercooked; it cooks a little more in the sauce. With a heatproof measuring cup, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water.
6. With tongs, remove the pasta from the pot and transfer to the sauce. Add about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. If needed, add more pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, to keep the sauce from drying out.
7. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheese. Divide the pasta and sauce among 4 shallow bowls. Serve with extra cheese. Sally Pasley Vargas