Photo: Spaghetti all'Amatriciana Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 pound pancetta in 1 piece, partially frozen
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- Scant 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup tomato puree
- 3/4 pound spaghetti or bucatini
- Freshly grated Parmesan (recommended: Pecorino Romano)
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, unroll the pancetta. Cut it into 1-inch long chunks, and then slice each chunk thinly across the grain.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it renders some of its fat, about 5 minutes. Do not allow it to crisp. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. While the onion is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water.
Add the red pepper flakes and parsley to the onion mixture and cook briefly to release their fragrance. Add the vinegar and simmer briefly until it evaporates, then add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Simmer briefly to blend.
When the pasta is just shy of al dente, drain it and return it to the warm pot over moderate heat. Add the sauce and cook briefly so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, then transfer the pasta to a warmed serving bowl and shower with the pecorino. Serve immediately.
*Michael's Notes: Start boiling the pasta after the onions have softened so that you have some starchy pasta water for your sauce. Putting the pancetta in the freezer for about 30 minutes will make it easier to slice.
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By uglynis
on March 09, 2013
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While the recipe may not be "traditional", as the last reviewer noted, the inclusion of vinegar made all the difference in the world--giving the thin tomato sauce a depth and sweetness, with a little bit of that whole "agra-dulce" quality that Chiarello adores. The vinegar also balances the richness of the pancetta. My husband and I loved this and I would not consider making this all' Amartriciana any other way. Yum.
By lucianochef
on December 05, 2012
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After trying the recipe i found it not to be the amatriciana that I know.I have been a chef for over 30 years trained in Italy, i do believe that you are a great chef but when it comes to original Italian cuisine you lack knowledge and I find it insulting that you are using vinegar as an ingridient. By all means if you want to create a dish, please name it differently but do not use an original name and destroy the recipe. This is not amatriciana sauce!!!. If must know amatriciana was named after the town where it was created which is in Rieti,Lazio in Italy.
By jrstinnettechef
on April 25, 2012
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Great recipe, the pasta to sauce ratio needs to be perfect. Their has to be more sauce then pasta to insure the pasta is actually filled with sauce for to be enjoyed the way I feel it was intended. Also cooking the sauce for about 10-15 minutes longer brings a much bolder taste then the time that's indicated.
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