Pasta Amatriciana

This Pasta Amatriciana tosses bucatini in a rich San Marzano tomato sauce with crispy guanciale, pecorino romano, and a kick of red pepper flakes, a true Roman classic.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Pasta Amatriciana

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 578kcal

Author Jason Decker

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces guanciale small diced
1/2 sweet onion small diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
28 ounces San Marzano peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
1 pound bucatini
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Instructions

Get the olive oil hot over medium heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Once hot, add the guanciale and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes.
6 ounces guanciale
Add the onion and cook until translucent; stir often so it doesn’t burn, 8-10 minutes.
1/2 sweet onion
Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and stir constantly until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, and make sure to scrape off any bits off the bottom of the pan.
1/4 cup dry white wine
Add the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until thickened; lower the heat if necessary.
28 ounces San Marzano peeled tomatoes
While the sauce is simmering, cook the bucatini to al dente.
1 pound bucatini
Once the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water on the side.
1 cup reserved pasta water
Add the pasta from the water directly into the sauce using tongs or something similar.
Stir to combine, add half of the pasta water, and stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated and the sauce has thickened.
Stir in the grated cheese and serve immediately.
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Notes

Large pot of water: Make sure it’s salty like the sea, so the pasta gets flavored from within—pasta water is your friend.
Use medium-high heat carefully: Don’t let the guanciale burn; aim for golden brown bits, not blackened lumps.
Reserve pasta water: A small measuring cup’s worth can help the sauce cling to the noodles better when you combine them at the end.
Don’t drown the sauce: This is a tomato-driven dish, so keep an eye on the consistency. The sauce should lightly coat the bucatini, not soup it up.
Taste along the way: Check for saltiness—pig jowl (guanciale) can be pretty salty, so you might not need as much extra salt as you think.
Serve hot: This is a dish best eaten right away. Let it stand too long, and the noodles might absorb too much sauce, getting soggy.

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