HOW TO MAKE PASTA AMATRICIANA
Bring Rome to your plate with this traditional Amatriciana recipe from Italy’s capital. Additionally, you just need 3 simple ingredients to create a hearty pasta dish full of salty and rich flavours thanks to the perfect combination of tomato and guanciale.
And for the perfect texture, it’s essential to cook the pasta al dente so that it doesn’t become too soft or mushy. This dish is perfect for a cozy night in or to impress guests with its authentic Italian taste. Add an extra layer of authenticity by serving it with a glass of red wine from the Lazio region.
Watch Pasta Amatriciana video recipe:
How to Make Pasta Amatriciana Recipe
Vincenzo’s Top Tips To Make Pasta Amatriciana
It starts with Guanciale
Firstly, This recipe starts with the guanciale! Make sure to keep some of the fat on as this helps it remain juicy and tender.
TIME for white wine!
Once your guanciale has started to crisp and change colour, it’s TIME for white wine!
PERFECT pasta
The perfect to cook your pasta is al dente!
How to serve Pasta Amatriciana
Lastly, twist a serving of pasta into a ladle and then transfer it onto a flat, round, plate. Sprinkle it with a generous amount of pecorino cheese – adding some more sauce and guanciale from the bottom of the pan too, keeping it nice and juicy.
Pasta Amatriciana
Equipment
- Deep fry pan Medium-sized
- wooden spoon
- Large pot (for boiling pasta)
- Pasta strainer Long tongs
- Tablespoon
- knife
Ingredients
- 250 grams Bucatini Pasta 8.8oz. For 2 people
- 75 grams Guanciale /Pig cheek 2.6oz. Per person once skin is removed
- Subsitute options: Pancetta Salami – not bacon!
- 1 can Peeled tomatoes 400g/14.1oz
- Salt & Pepper
- 5 L Water
Instructions
- This amatriciana recipe starts with the guanciale! Cut it into strips, and then again into cubes, making sure to keep some of the fat on as this helps it remain juicy and tender.
- Next, it’s time to use Nonna’s favourite utensil for squashing peeled tomatoes…a fork! Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and squash them down, mixing as you go.
- Boil approx. 5L water in a large pot and once it boils, add a handful of rock salt.
- Put a pan on your stove at a low-medium heat and add the guanciale – no oil! Leave this to slowly cook and crisp in the pan, gently moving it around with a wooden spoon every so often.
- Once the guanciale has started to crisp and change colour, this amatriciana recipe calls for white wine! Add one glass and mix through.
- After 3 minutes, most of the wine will have evaporated, mix again and add the peeled tomatoes.
- Use your wooden spoon to stir through and leave to simmer for 10-15minutes. If your stove is too strong, just lower it so it cooks more gently.
- While this amatriciana recipe sauce is simmering, add a touch of salt and be generous with pepper.
- Once the sauce has reduced, switch off the stove and cook your pasta al dente (according to packet instructions).
- Remove the pasta from the pot, and add it to the pan, making sure some of the pasta water is added in too.
- Then add 5 extra tablespoons of pasta water and mix the sauce through the pan really well.
- E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate… Enjoy!
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The first Italians immigrants came to Stockholm in the late 1940´s. With them they brought their cuisine and their tradition is still with us today. So far as some pizza bakers has actually won international pizza contests.
The first pizza was served 1947. Now there are over 3000 pizzerias in Sweden.
Now, with the www and all, you are an inpiration to me to cook like they do in their restaurants.
Best regards,
Sign, Sten Ericsson
Stockholm
Sweden
Love all your work. If I may though, it’s pepper, not peppa. LOL. Just saying, after learning how to say bolognieze.
You’re absolutely right that it’s “pepper” not “peppa,” and I apologize for the mistake. It’s always helpful to have readers like you who pay attention to the details and help keep things accurate. I’ll make sure to be more careful with my spelling in the future!
No pecorino?
In my recipe, I may have opted to exclude pecorino for various reasons, such as personal taste preferences, availability of ingredients, or dietary restrictions. However, feel free to add pecorino or any other cheese of your choice to enhance the flavor and authenticity of the dish.
I have a question about guanciale portion. the rest of the recipe specifies for 2 persons. Guanciale says 75 g per person – does that mean 150 g for a 2 person recipe? That seems like a lot of guanciale.
The guanciale portion in the pasta amatriciana recipe is 75 grams per person, so yes, that would mean 150 grams for a two-person recipe. It may seem like a lot of guanciale, but it’s important to remember that it’s the main flavor component in the dish. The guanciale is what gives pasta amatriciana its signature salty, smoky flavor.