I love this pasta shape. It’s got a nice groove which traps the sauce inside. You could of course use any other typo of pasta you like. In fact, the last time I ate pasta “amatriciana” was at a small italian restaurant in London and it was served with spaghetti.
“Amatriciana” is basically a rich tomato sauce with the addition of “Guanciale”, a cured meat Italians use for “Carbonara”. It is very tasty and has a lot of fat, which you need to render in the pan before proceeding. Italian friends, please don’t hate me for this, but my recipe is with pancetta since guanciale is not easy to find. Maybe not as authentic, but delicious never the less 🙂
Casarecce Amatriciana
A traditional Italian pasta with a rich tomato sauce and the addition guanciale or pancetta. Bacon could be a substitute, just don't tell the Italians 😉
Ingredients
- 200 grams pancetta or bacon
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/4-1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 125 ml white wine
- 400 grams chopped tomatoes
- 2 tsp sugar
- 70 grams tomato paste
- 125 grams vegetable stock
- 60 grams whipping cream
- A few leaves of basil
- Salt and pepper
- 500 grams casarecce pasta (spaghetti is a great sub)
- 100 grams grated parmesan
Instructions
- In a large pan, cook the pancetta over medium heat until it becomes crispy and releases its oil. Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute until they take on a little color and release their aroma. Pour over the wine and let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix. Add the cream.
- Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the instructions on the package. Keep some pasta water. With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pasta in the pan with the sauce. Sprinkle with half the parmesan cheese and mix. Add some pasta water if sauce seems too thick. Serve and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and basil leaves.
