Simple, flavorful Bucatini all’Amatriciana

Pasta is such a wonderful, versatile food. With all the ways there are to prepare pasta, this has got to be a favorite of mine. The simplicity and minimal ingredients make it a breeze to make and it is always a hit with dinners. This dish is very Italian with some classic Italian ingredients. Here’s a little guide to the Italian terminology used.

Al dente – means “to the tooth”, used to describe pasta or other food that is cooked only until it offers a slight resistance when bitten into, but which is not soft or overdone

Bucatini; bucatoni – hollow, long strands, slightly thicker than spaghetti. bucatoni are the thicker of the two. 

Pancetta – called “Italian bacon”, pancetta is cured with salt and spices, but not traditionally smoked. Flavorful, slightly salty it comes in a sausage like roll of pink meat and white fat from the hog’s belly portion.

Pecorino Romano – in Italy a cheese made from sheep’s milk is known as pecorino. Aged pecorinos range in color from off-white to pale yellow and have a sharp, pungent flavor. An excellent hard cheese, good for grating and used mainly in cooking. 

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

½ pound pancetta, coarsely chopped

1 medium red onion thinly sliced cut into ½ to ¾ inch strips

3 garlic cloves thinly sliced

1 ½ teaspoons crushed red peppers

12 ounces tomato sauce (I like mine chunky plain tomato)

Kosher salt (to taste)

1 pound bucatini pasta

½ cup rough chopped flat-leaf parsley

Grated or shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

In a large skillet cook the pancetta over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.

Using a slotted spoon remove the pancetta, transferring to a plate.

Pour off all but 2 ½ tablespoons of the fat.

Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper to the skillet, cook over medium high heat stirring occasionally until the onion is lightly browned.

Add the tomato sauce, salt to taste simmer down until very thick approximately 10 minutes.

Meanwhile in a pot of salted boiling water, cook the bucatini to al dente, drain reserving ½ to 1 cup of the pasta water.

Add the pancetta to the thickened sauce, stir then add the pasta, parsley and ½ a cup of the reserved pasta water over medium high heat, stirring to evenly coat.

Top with the cheese.