Bucatini All’Amatriciana
When we were being tourists in the Lazio region in Italy (damn, I miss traveling), it was fun discovering how cities had certain dishes they were known for. In Amatrice, they have a sauce that is their namesake. This Bucatini All'Amatriciana is like pomodoro’s spicier cousin, but with some cured pork. You’re supposed to use guanciale (pork cheek) or pancetta, but I used bacon and made a couple alterations. Bucatini is a fun pasta because it’s like a thick spaghetti with a hole in the middle. It gives the dish a good chew, and bonus is that the sauce gets all up in there.
Ingredients:
1 pound dried bucatini
1/2 pound bacon (or pancetta or guanciale), cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, in 1/2 inch dice
5 cloves garlic, chopped
28 ounce can whole peeled San Marzano Tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 parmesan cheese rind (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano
Steps:
In a large sauté pan, heat up the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add in the sliced bacon. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes. The fat will render and the bacon will get slightly crisp.
Turn up heat to medium and add in the onion to the pan. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the tomatoes and break them up with the back of your spoon. Add in the red pepper flakes and the optional parm rind. Simmer for 20 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the sauce thickens and is more chunky. Stir in the sugar and adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper. Reduce heat to low while you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook your pasta 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain, and add the pasta to the sauce. Add in your grated cheese and toss everything together. You want your pasta to finish cooking in the sauce, so it starts to absorb all the flavor.
To serve, put a mound of pasta in a bowl and have extra pecorino or parmesan at the table.
