Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Bucatini all’amatriciana is a traditional Italian first course. The name amatriciana comes from a town, Amatrice, located at 955m on the sea level in the province of Rieti in the northern part of Lazio that is famous for Spaghetti all’amatriciana. Indeed when you enter in the town below the name Amatrice there is also the notice “citta’ degli spaghetti all’amatriciana” (“town of spaghetti all’amatriciana"). The original Italian recipe was made with spaghetti, Guanciale (lard from the pig’s cheek), extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino cheese and red chilli without tomatoes. The shepherds were used to prepare this simple and delicious recipe that was considered a recipe for poor people. During the 19thcentury the recipe becomes famous in Rome and for this reason now the recipe of "spaghetti all’amatriciana" is considered a traditional Italian recipe of the Roman cuisine. In Rome the recipe was subjected to some changes; firstable spaghetti were changed with bucatini, that are thick spaghetti with a hole running through the centre, and then there was the addition of tomatoes to the sauce, better if fresh tomatoes type Samarzano. There are several variants of the recipe, indeed instead of Guanciale sometimes people use pancetta (bacon) but in this case the taste it will be different and I would prefer to use Guanciale because its taste is more delicate and sweet. Another variant is the addition to the sauce of onion that is used at the beginning of the preparation when you add to the hot extra virgin olive oil guanciale and in this case also onion. The presence of onion will give to the sauce a more acidic taste. Sometimes you can find written "Bucatini all'amatriciana" or "Bucatini alla matriciana", this is two way to indicate the same Italian food. Here I will show the traditional preparation of Bucatini all’amatriciana with guanciale, extravirgin olive oil, red chilli, pecorino Romano cheese and tomatoes. Buon appetito!

INGREDENTS (for 4 people):
400 g (0,88 lb) Bucatini
2 Tablespoons of Extra virgin olive oil
150 g (5 oz) of Guanciale of pork (lard from the pig’s cheek) or Pancetta (bacon)
1 Red chilli
400 g (14 oz) (8-9 large tomatoes) Fresh tomatoes type Samarzano
100 g (4 oz) Pecorino Romano cheese of medium aged
Salt for seasoning
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes

COOKING TIME: 40 minutes

WINE: Rosatello Cerveteri (Red Wine)

PREPARATION
Start with the preparation of the ingredients you need for the sauce. Cut in strips the guanciale and mince the red chilli. Prepare the fresh tomatoes type Samarzano, peel them and cut in little pieces.



When everything is ready start with the cooking: preheat the extra virgin olive oil, when the oil is hot add the strips of guanciale and the minced red chilli, cook them until the fat part of guanciale becomes transparent.



At this point add the white wine and let it evaporate. Now add the tomatoes, mix everything together and let cook for about 25-30 minutes.





When the sauce is almost ready let salted water boil for bucatini, let them cook for 8-9 minutes.



Grate the pecorino Romano cheese. Before to stop the cooking of bucatini, try them and drain them when they are still firm. Put bucatini in the pan with the sauce and let them sauté just few minutes.



Serve warm and sprinkle with pecorino Romano cheese grated.



BUON APPETITO!