Sunday, August 27, 2017

Pasta all’amatriciana


Pasta all’amatriciana

Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 oz. guanciale (pancetta or, in a pinch, bacon will do), cut into ½-inch cubes
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
  • 1 28-oz. can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt
  • 1 lb. dried spaghetti or bucatini pasta
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino (or Parmesan), plus additional for serving, if desired
Directions:
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté guanciale and red pepper flakes until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes.
  2. If using, add wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to gather any browned bits until wine is nearly all evaporated, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper; reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
  4. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil pasta until just shy of al dente (1-2 minutes less than the package recommends). Using tongs, transfer cooked pasta and about ¼ cup of pasta water to sauce, stirring quickly until incorporated. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more of the pasta water.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.