Bucatini pasta all’Amatriciana
- 400g Bucatini pasta
- 200g Guanciale or pancetta, diced
- 400g San Marzano canned tomatoes, chopped
- 100g Pecorino cheese (preferably Pecorino from Amatrice), finely grated
- 1 teaspoon lard or 1 heaped teaspoon butter
- 1 small fresh chilli, finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes (optional
- Sea salt
Place the lard (or butter) in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced guanciale and cook until golden and crisp. Add the chilli and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, then stir in the Italian chopped tomatoes. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile place a large pot with water on high heat and bring to the boil. Add a pinch of salt and bucatini pasta to the boiling water and cook until ‘al dente’ – refer to the cooking time specified in pasta packet instructions.
Drain the pasta, reserving 2 tablespoons (40ml) of the pasta cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the frying pan with amatriciana sauce with the reserved pasta cooking liquid and toss to combine for two minutes at medium heat.
Serve immediately with Pecorino cheese on top – Buon appetito.
