A Classic Roman Dish – Bucatini all’Amatriciana
Bucatini all’Amatriciana is one of my favorite Italian recipes!
Like many of you, Meg and I watched the Stanley Tucci special on CNN called Searching for Italy. In the Rome episode, he has lunch at Armando Al Pantheon to enjoy their famous rigatoni all’amatriciana, one of Rome’s famous pastas. I made it a little different and call it bucatini all’Amatriciana.
Of course I had to run out and buy the ingredients so we could make it at home. Not a lot of ingredients so it’s very simple to prepare and absolutely delicious. Let’s look at some of the ingredients.
Bucatini
Bucatini is a pasta that looks a lot like spaghetti but it is thicker and has a whole running down through the strand. My kids like to say it looks like a straw made out of pasta.
If you lived in Naples, Italy, you would call this pasta perciatelli. Same pasta, but just called something different in a different part of Italy.
For years you could only find bucatini pasta in speciality markets or Italian grocers, but now I’m finding it in my local supermarkets. I guess it is becoming more popular and is being used in more Internet recipes.
The Italian word for hole is “buco” so this is where this pasta gets its name. If you can’t find bucatini, try substituting spaghetti or linguini.
Guanciale for Bucatini all’Amatriciana
Guanciale pronounced (gyaan chaa lay), is a cured meat from a pig’s cheeks. Not easy to find in most supermarkets, you may have to head to a specialty food market or a good Italian grocer. A good substitute is pancetta, another cured meat from a pig but from the belly. And if you can’t find any pancetta, I suppose I would give prosciutto a try.
Pecorino Romano Cheese for Bucatini all’Amatriciana
One of my favorite Italian cheeses pecorino Romano. My favorite brand is Locatelli and it’s been around for over 200 years. I love substituting pecorino for parmesan cheese and often find myself eating a small piece for dessert if there is any extra.
It is a little saltier than parmesan and has a sharp, acidic taste. It is an aged sheep’s milk cheese.
The Secret Ingredients
Onion
Traditional Amatriciana omits onion, but many chefs (especially in modern Italian or Roman kitchens) sneak in a small amount of finely minced onion—sweated slowly in rendered guanciale fat. It adds natural sweetness and body without overpowering the sauce.
White Wine
A splash to deglaze the pan after crisping the guanciale. It adds brightness and balances the rich fat.
A Pinch of Chile Flakes
Enhances the natural heat of the sauce without making it spicy.
The Secret Technique
Crisping Guanciale Low and Slow in a Cold Pan
Starting guanciale in a cold pan and rendering slowly over medium-low heat ensures perfect fat release and even crisping—no burnt edges or rubbery bits.
The guanciale fat becomes the flavor base for the sauce.
Bonus Tip
Emulsify the sauce like cacio e pepe—tossing the pasta vigorously with the sauce and a bit of pasta water to create a silky, cohesive coating. No oil or butter added.
Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 1 pound bucatini pasta
- 1 cup guanciale diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 splash white wine to deglaze the guanciale
- 1 cup yellow onion minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- hot pepper flakes to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon oregano dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- pecorino romano cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- To a large pot of water, add salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add bucatini pasta and cook according to package direction until al dente.
- Start the guanciale in a cold pan. Saute over medium-low heat until the guanciale's fat renders out. The guanciale will start to turn golden and become crisp. Stir frequently.
- Deglaze the guanciale with a splash of white wine.
- Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add diced tomatoes and oregano. Lower heat to a simmer and cook sauce for 10 minutes.
- Add hot pepper flakes to taste.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Drain pasta reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. If the sauce seems dry, add some of the pasta water.
- Plate the pasta and sauce in bowls and finish with a topping of freshly grated pecorino cheese.
- Serve immediately.
2 Responses
I’m on a “diet program”, really a better lifestyle change. But I’m cutting calories, & salt.
Any idea about the nutrition values for this (wonderful) meal?
Thanks, I’m enjoying your website after just finding it.
Hi Hazel, thanks for contacting me. I’m trying to cut calories and salt myself but I do splurge sometimes. I don’t have the nutrition values for this dish but I’m guessing it’s rich. You may be able to find a site online that you can plug in the ingredients and it will give you the nutritional breakdown. Best.