Perciatelli Amatriciana Style Recipes

TRADITIONAL SPAGHETTI ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook onion until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in passata, water, and sugar; cook until sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes
• Drain spaghetti and toss with sauce, remaining olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Cut the pancetta or prosciutto into chunks less than one-half inch thick. Place in a saucepan with the olive oil and fry over low heat for 15 minutes, until all the fat has been rendered out and the meat is very crisp. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pan and saute over medium heat for five minutes.
• Drain the tomatoes, finely chop them and add to the onion in the pan. Season with red-pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil and add salt to taste. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 to 12 minutes, depending on the brand. Drain well.
• Transfer the cooked sauce to a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and the reserved meat and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the cheese and mix very well. Transfer the pasta to a warm platter and serve immediately.

BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Coat a large saucepan with olive oil. Add the guanciale and saute over low heat. Cook until it is brown and crispy and has rendered a lot of fat. Remove and reserve 1/3 of the guanciale for garnish. Bring the pan to a medium heat and add the onions and crushed red pepper. Season generously with salt, to taste. Cook the onions until they are translucent, starting to turn golden and are very aromatic. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 1 hour, tasting periodically. Adjust the salt, as needed.
• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package. Remove 3 or 4 ladlefuls of the sauce from the pot to a bowl, as an insurance policy. You can always add it back in but it's harder to take out once the pasta is in the pan. You're looking for the perfect ratio between pasta and sauce. Drain the pasta from the water and add to the pot of sauce. Stir to coat with the sauce. This is how you always finish pasta; you cook it in the sauce to perform the marriage of the pasta and the sauce. Add more sauce, if necessary. Add in the cheese and drizzle with olive oil to really bring the marriage together. Toss to coat and serve in shallow bowls garnished with cheese and the reserved guanciale. Sprinkle with chives to finish, if using.
• YUUUMMMEEEEE!

SPAGHETTI AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, and add the oil, guanciale and onions. Sprinkle with salt and caramelize the guanciale, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and Calabrian chile paste, then lower to medium-low heat. Season with a few pinches of salt to taste (keep in mind that the cheese added at the end will add salinity to the final dish). Cook, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching, for about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• In a large pot over high heat, boil well-salted water (salty like the ocean). Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until slightly undercooked (the pasta will continue to cook in the sauce). Add 2 tablespoons pasta water to the sauce. Strain the pasta and add to the sauce. Cook over high heat until the sauce has coated the noodles, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add to a large bowl and mix in the Pecorino and butter. Divide among individual serving bowls. Garnish each with more grated Pecorino.