Amatriciana is one of Rome’s classic pasta dishes, and like others in its class—namely carbonara, cacio e pepe, and pasta alla gricia—it’s the source of much-heated debate. In 2015, when acclaimed Italian chef Carlo Cracco divulged that he uses garlic in his amatriciana on a talk show, it made national news and invited the wrath of the mayor of Amatrice, a town in northern Lazio where the dish purportedly originated. Depending on which source you trust, the only acceptable additions to the tomato-based pasta sauce are guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl) and Pecorino Romano cheese. There are cooks in Italy and abroad who add black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, white wine, garlic, and even onions—to the approval of some and the dismay of others.
This amatriciana recipe takes some liberties, but we think they’re worthwhile: Since guanciale is not always easy to find stateside, pancetta and unsmoked bacon make fine substitutes. We’re partial to a long noodle here, like spaghetti or bucatini, but rigatoni works well if you want a shorter pasta. Using whole canned tomatoes, however? That’s nonnegotiable.
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What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
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Large Pot
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Heatproof Measuring Cup
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Wooden Spoon
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Colander
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Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
2
4
½
½
¾
2
1
12
¼
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 4 oz. thinly sliced guanciale, pancetta, or chopped unsmoked bacon and sauté until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Add ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper; cook, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add ¾ cup finely chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add one 28-oz. can peeled tomatoes with juices, crushed by hand, reduce to low heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until amatriciana sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with kosher salt; add 12 oz. dried bucatini or spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until 2 minutes before al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.
Step 3
Add drained pasta to sauce in skillet and toss vigorously with tongs to coat. Add ½ cup reserved pasta water and cook until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. (Add a little pasta water if sauce is too dry.) Stir in ¼ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 1 oz.).
Editor’s note: This amatriciana recipe was first printed in our May 2011 issue. Head this way for more of our best Italian recipes →