Learn how to make Pasta Amatriciana like an Italian. This is the traditional Pasta Amatriciana recipe (published by the Amatrice Chamber of Commerce) with spaghetti, guanciale, white wine, olive oil, red pepper, tomato and pecorino cheese. You won't believe how easy this spaghetti recipe is!
Cut the guanciale into strips (about 1 inch x 1/3 of an inch).
Remove the water and seeds from the whole tomatoes, leaving only the tomato pulp. Mash or blend the tomato into a crushed tomato consistency (pulpy with some sauce).
Fry the Guanciale
Cover the bottom of a large skillet with the olive oil. Heat the oil over medium-low heat, then add the fresh chili pepper. After about a minute, add the guanciale slices.
Fry the strips of guanciale over low heat. When the fat on the guanciale begins to turn translucent, increase the heat to medium and add the wine to de-glaze the pan. Continue frying the guanciale until it is golden brown and crispy.
Remove the guanciale pieces and set them aside for later. Remove the red chili pepper from the pan.Leave the guanciale grease in the pan. We will finish the dish in this pan. We want all that delicious guanciale grease to flavor our tomato sauce!
Make the Sauce
Add the crushed tomato to the pan and simmer on low heat. In the meantime…
Cook the Pasta
Boil the pasta in salted water. Cook the pasta for the amount of time recommended for ‘al dente’ pasta on the package directions. Save the hot pasta water. We’ll use it to finish the pasta in the sauce!
Finish with Pasta
Add most of the pecorino cheese and immediately toss to combine. Add the guanciale back into the sauce as well.Add the drained, cooked pasta to the finished sauce.Add a ladle or two of the hot pasta water as needed to mix the pasta and melt the cheese. Top with more grated Pecorino cheese and serve!
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Notes
Use San Marzano TomatoesFor the sweetest tomato sauce? Use whole fresh Roma or San Marzano tomatoes or whole peeled canned tomatoes.Remove Tomato SeedsRemove tomato seeds by cutting the tomatoes open and using your fingers to push the seeds out. This is easier done under running water or in a bowl of filtered water. This assists in removing any acidity, leaving the sweet tomato pulp. Puree the pulp until you have a coarse sauce (crushed tomatoes)Pecorino AmatriceUse ‘pecorino amatrice’ if you can find it. Different regions have different pecorino cheeses which vary slightly in taste. Otherwise, just use a Pecorino Romano cheese.