I have to say that Rome has some pretty kick-butt classic pasta dishes to choose from. Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe and this delicious and simple Bucatini all’Amatriciana.
I love simple and classic pasta dishes like these. When you have good ingredients, you don’t really need a whole lot of them in order to create great flavor. Pasta is simple, cheap, and one of my absolute favorites!
What is Bucatini all’Amatriciana
Traditionally the sauce for this pasta dish is made with guanciale, tomatoes, and pecorino romano cheese. Some variations include onions, white wine, hot pepper flakes, or garlic added in.
Guanciale is a cured pork product that comes from the cheeks. It is very good in this dish, but a little hard to find sometimes, therefore I have subbed it out with pancetta, it is a worthy substitution and much easier to find.
This simple dish comes together so quickly. I’ve tossed the finished pasta here with arugula, but that is not necessary for this dish, I just have a bunch in my fridge to use up.
I like the sweetness that adding red onions add, but it is also optional as the dish is great without it.
What is Bucatini
Bucatini is a spaghetti-like shaped pasta that is with a hole in the middle. It is a fun shape to experiment with it. It is a common shape used in Rome.
Importance of ingredients
Be sure to use a good brand of canned tomatoes for this dish. I would recommend San Marzano. Buy a chunk of pancetta that you can cut into thick cubes. You will need roughly 250-300 grams for a standard-sized box of pasta. Pecorino Romano is a great cheese in this dish. You could substitute parmesan if you don’t have it, but give it a try if you can. The salty taste lends itself well here. Not all pasta is created equal, try to find a nice brand here. De Cecco is a good one that you can typically find in most grocery stores. Also, be sure to cook your pasta until al dente, it should still have a little wee bit of a bite to it, I think the texture is far superior when not overcooked.
If you like this dish you should try: Cacio e Pepe with Arugula
Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 454 grams bucatini
- 28 oz San Marzano Tomotoes puree them before adding
- 250-300 grams pancetta or guanciale, cubed
- 1 cup finely grated pecorino romano plus more for serving
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- olive oil (if using pancetta)
- pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- baby arugula optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously.
- Put the bucantini in the water to cook. Do not break the pasta. Stir occasionally.
- In a large pan, over medium heat add in a little olive oil if using pancetta, start cooking until the fat renders and it begins to brown. Add in a little ground pepper. .
- About halfway until the pancetta is done, add in your red onion. Cook for a couple minutes, then add in your pureed tomatoes. Cook for a minute or two and taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- When the pasta is almost done to al dente, remove and add to the sauce to let finish cooking. Reserve the pasta water and add a little in to loosen the sauce if need be. Taste for seasoning. Add in your pecorino romano cheese. When the pasta is al dente the dish is finish.
- If you would like to add arugula, toss the pasta with it at this point. Serve immediately with extra pecorino romano.
