Bucatini or Spaghetti All' Amatriciana.
Amatriciana is a simple and delicious classic Italian pasta recipe from Lazio with pretty ancient origins. It's popular with kids and adults alike throughout Italy and abroad!
Amatriciana comes from Amatrice in Lazio, Italy.
Sadly because of the devastating 2016 earthquake that destroyed much of the town of Amatrice in Central Italy, amatriciana has become a pasta dish that I cannot help but associate with that tragedy. However, I was very touched by how many restaurants here in Italy and abroad raised funds to help the town’s people by donating all or part of the takings from sales of plates of pasta all’amatriciana in the weeks following the quake. (Italians say all'amatriciana but abroad this recipe is often just referred to as amatriciana).
Of course, Amatrice was already well known for its famous pasta recipe even before the earthquake. This dish is based on typical local ingredients. Traditionally the local people use a cast iron frying pan or skillet to make this dish. The original sauce contains only tomatoes, guanciale (pork cheek), pecorino, red chili pepper and white wine. However, like other classic Italian recipes you can find it made with other ingredients in it!
Some Amatriciana history!
Amatriciana, also called matriciana in the local dialect, was originally just a white condiment (no tomatoes!). This original version is called 'alla gricia'. This was apparently the main meal for Amatrice shepherds. The shepherds carried pieces of pecorino in their packs, along with bags of black pepper, dried pasta, cured pork cheek and lard. Between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries tomatoes were imported to Italy and a tomato sauce was added to the recipe.
Amatrice became famous for creating this ‘new’ recipe and in fact the town has held an annual festival in celebration of amatriciana for more than 50 years. In 2016 the festival was cancelled because of the earthquake which happened just a few days before the date of the festival. It was held instead in Rome in December.
The Romans love Amatriciana!
Although it is not originally from Lazio (during the Kingdom of the Two Siciiys, Amatrice belonged to Abruzzo), amatriciana has become a classic Roman recipe. However, it is more often served with bucatini in Rome and spaghetti in Amatrice. Both pastas work really well in this dish. For this recipe, I used spaghetti but I like it with bucatini too.
The people of Amatrice are very strict about the ingredients of this sauce and have been known to take offence when chefs become creative with their own versions. There’s a lovely story of when two Michelin star chef Carlo Cracco confessed that he put garlic in his amatriciana and the Amatrice town council accused him of ‘a lack of judgement’ on their Facebook page!!!
The recipe below is based on the original, except for the use of olive oil instead of lard. Bucatini or spaghetti all'amatriciana is a recipe that everybody loves, especially kids! So, it's well worth adding to your own pasta repertoire if it isn’t there already.
If you do try this bucatini or spaghetti Amatriciana recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback means a lot to me!
Buon Appetito!
(This recipe was originally published in 2017 but I have updated the photos and text)
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Bucatini (or spaghetti) Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti or bucatini (14oz)
- 150 g cured pork cheek (5oz) Guanciale di Amatrice is the traditional type but you can also use thick slices of pancetta but preferably not the ready cubed one .
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Some cooks believe it’s not necessary to add oil as the pork is already quite fatty
- ½ glass dry white wine
- 400 g San Marzano tomatoes peeled
- 1 fresh peperoncino or teaspoon of dried peperoncino flakes
- 100 g grated pecorino cheese (3.5oz) Traditionally pecorino from Amatrice which is less salty than other types
- black pepper
- salt for pasta and to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly clean the pork cheek and cut it into small strips. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water and peel them. Cut them in halves or quarters and remove most of the seeds.
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt when it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan (traditionally a cast iron pan) and add the pork cheek and let it brown.
- Sprinkle with the white wine. Allow the wine to evaporate and add the peperoncino (if using a whole fresh one, remove before serving)
- When the pork cheek is browned nicely, remove it from the pan and remove some of the rendered fat too. Add the peeled and cut tomatoes to the pan and cook on a medium heat until they start to soften. If you think you need more sauce you can add a little tomato passata too.
- Put the pork cheek into the sauce with some salt and pepper (taking into account that the pork is quite salty already). Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente in the boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce with some of the pecorino, keeping the heat very low while you mix everything well together.
- Serve immediately with a sprinkling of more pecorino.
Notes
Nutrition
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Tom says
This is a fabulous dish! I am a foodie, but have a whole litany of health issues to accommodate in just about anything I cook. I used three strips of apple wood smoked bacon and 6 ozs of salt pork cut up per the recipe, 1/4 oz crushed fresh garlic, 8 ozs finely chopped yellow onion and a full cup of pinot grigio, and the rest of the recipe items. No problems along the way. Used canned diced tomato and crushed them with the back of my silicon spatchla toward the end of the simmer. The aroma filled the whole house by the end of the 30 minute simmer. My bucatini was shy of ready at the maker's suggested cook time, so I added a half cup of water to the sauce, drained the pasta and dumped the sauce over it. I tossed and pulled the pasta/sauce over everything until I hit the consistency I though was right. And, low and behold, it was right! We oohed and aahed through dinner! It was amazing for how the delicate pork flavor loaded every bite. Our kids will be here come Christmas season, and this will replace the usual huge platter of orzo with frutti di mare we've had forever for Christmas. I know they are gonna rave about it when they taste it.
Stephanie says
The pork and tomatoes sound like a delicious flavor pairing with the pasta! I can almost taste the flavors!
Lathiya says
The pasta looks fabulous..I'm loving your pasta dishes and saving this for later.
Jacqui says
Thank you dear Lathiya! This is a real classic Italian pasta recipe and so delicious! I'm sure you'll love it!
Maman de sara says
I love italian food, that looks yummy
Jacqui says
Thanks so much! We love Italian food too (of course!)
Julie says
This looks so tasty for a cold winter day! Love all the flavors you packed in there.
Jacqui says
Thanks Julie! This is a super flavourful pasta dish! Very popular here in Italy!
Susan says
Seems very simple to prepare but absolutely delicious flavors!! I love the back story as well. Can't wait for our tomatoes to grow so I can make this for dinner!
Jacqui says
Thanks so much Susan. Lucky you having your own homegrown tomatoes! They will definitely make this dish even tastier!
Kari Heron | Chef and Steward says
This is definitely a pasta that my five year old will completely adore! Those tomatoes are just sensational!
Jacqui says
I'm sure your five year old will devour this dish, Kari! It's very popular with kids here in Italy!
Jori says
Appreciate the background on how this dish came to be! Can’t go wrong with centuries worth of meals can you.
Jacqui says
Happy you like the background info Jori! I love old recipes. You know they must be good because they've been popular for ever!
Corina Blum says
Such a simple pasta dish but it sounds so tasty! Its definitely something that my husband and son would love as well as me.
Jacqui says
Thanks Corina! Often the simplest dishes are the best! I'm also sure your husband and son will love this pasta!
Brian Jones says
The fat on that pork looks stunning, I have a version of this dish that uses similarly fatty pork and I love it.
Jacqui says
Guanciale is a favourite of mine Brian because it adds so much flavour to any dish! It's popular here in Italy, although more expensive than pancetta.
Amanda says
This is pretty much the perfect pasta dish -- so simple yet it also has tons of flavor. Love all the pecorino. Thanks for sharing!
Jacqui says
Thanks so much Amanda! I'm thrilled you like this recipe! Yes simple but flavourful, so perfect!
Linda says
I love good pasta like this - simply flavorful and delicious! Love how easy it is and good to know the origin of this dish.
Jacqui says
Grazie Linda! Yes this recipe is a winner! As you say, simple, flavourful and easy to make!
Mimi says
I love the way Italian dishes sound - so unique and so inviting! And it is so interesting to read the stories behind each recipe. Amatriciana is definitely a bright example - can't wait to make one very soon!
Jacqui says
Thank you very much Mimi! I also love the recipes that have a story behind them and an interesting history! I'm sure you'll enjoy this dish a lot!
April says
I can't believe this pasta has so much history! But I can certainly believe that it is incredibly popular and delicious. Fantastic recipe!
Jacqui says
Thank you April! Italy has a lot of food history which I love researching! This dish is a classic much loved by Italians!
Ramona says
This pasta dish is so good looking and sounds super delicious - I love how informative your posts are too. Superb! Thank you for sharing yet another wonderful pasta dish which I will definitely make
Jacqui says
Thank you so much dear Ramona! I'm sure you'll love this dish. It's full of flavour but easy to make!
Kelly Anthony says
I love simple recipes that are full of rich flavors. This looks delicious and I can't wait to try another of your pasta recipes.
Jacqui says
Thank you cara Kelly! This is a great pasta recipe. As you say full of flavour! I'm sure you'll really enjoy it!