Spaghetti all’ Amatriciana

 

This is one of my favorite pasta sauces ever.  It comes from the town of Amatrice and is seriously delicious.  It’s a bit spicy and has the sharpness of Pecorino Romano cheese and also….pancetta.  In case you don’t know, pancetta is Italian bacon made of pork belly that is salt cured.  Spaghetti with bacon – the best of both worlds as far as I’m concerned.  This dish is easy and seems perfect for fall or winter nights.  Add a salad and some good bread and you have a wonderful meal.  Or just stand at the stove and eat it out of the pan if you must.  That’s what my nieces and I did when I made this dish for these pictures.

The first thing you need is a basic red sauce.  You’ll also need extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, a small onion, pancetta cut into small cubes (you can actually buy it already cubed), pecorino romano cheese, salt, pepper and parsley.

Cook a pound of spaghetti (angel hair and bucatini also work well for this) for about a minute less than the box directions.  Set aside.

Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large skillet.  Chop up the onion.  Cook the onion, pancetta (about 3 oz), 1 1/2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes and two cloves of minced or chopped garlic until the pancetta starts to crisp up a bit.

 

 

You’ll need to cook it on about medium so that it doesn’t burn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the pancetta is starting to crisp, add about 2 cups of red sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.  You can also add fresh or dried parsley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir and add about a cup of grated romano cheese. Romano is a delicious, sharp cheese that works perfectly with the red pepper in this sauce.  When the cheese is melted, add the pasta to the pan and stir, thoroughly coating the pasta with the sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For serving, add more romano cheese and fresh parsley if desired.