Rigatoni all’Amatriciana

Ingredients

• 200 g guanciale (cut into bite-sized pieces; can substitute with pancetta or lardons)
• 2 red chillies (or use peperoncino)
• 400 g peeled plum tomatoes (canned, broken up by hand)
• sea salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste, plus extra for garnish)
• 250 g pasta (rigatoni recommended)
• pecorino Romano (generous sprinkle, plus more for dusting)
• 1 ladle pasta water (reserved from boiling pasta, plus more as needed to loosen sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut approximately 200g of guanciale (or pancetta/lardons) into bite-sized pieces.

2. 2

   Add the guanciale to a cold pan, then set the heat to medium-high. Allow the fat to render for about 7-10 minutes until it sizzles and smells incredible.

3. 3

   Once the guanciale is sizzling and crisp, remove the pieces from the pan and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

4. 4

   Place the pan with the fat back on the heat and throw in 2 red chillies or some peperoncino. Toast for 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Break up a 400g tin of peeled plum tomatoes with your hands, then add them to the pan. Stir to meld the tomatoes with the fat.

6. 6

   Season the sauce with sea salt and black pepper, then leave to simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.

7. 7

   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 250g of pasta.

8. 8

   Taste your sauce for seasoning adjustments. When the pasta is al dente, add it to the sauce along with a ladle of pasta water. Leave the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce.

9. 9

   Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, add in half of the reserved crispy guanciale and a generous sprinkle of pecorino Romano. Stir together until combined, using extra pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.

10. 10

    Plate the pasta and garnish with black pepper, the remaining crispy guanciale, and a final dusting of pecorino Romano.

Notes

The author suggests pairing this dish with a Negroni, Old Fashioned, or Cosmopolitan. If you cannot find guanciale, pancetta or lardons are suitable substitutes.

Nutrition per serving

• pasta
• amatriciana
• main
• italian
• dinner
• easy
• comfort food
• date night