A week or so ago I posted a super delicious and very easy recipe for an authentic Italian dish, Spaghetti al Pomodoro. This time I’m posting my absolute favorite super simple and very easy authentic Italian recipe, Bucatini all’Amatriciana (pronounced aa·muh·tree·chaa·nuh).

The thing about super simple Italian food is you can’t skimp on the ingredients. You need to use the best you can find. If you are making authentic Bucatini all’Amatriciana you need just six ingredients. Guanciale, Pecorino Romano and canned tomatoes from San Marzano are the bare minimum. Maybe to be truly authentic, you might want dried pepperoncini but I’ve found good crushed red pepper is better and would still be common. Get the best pasta you can find, obviously you need bucatini (the one with the hole all the way through). Also, if you can, get a hunk of real Pecorino Romano and grade it yourself. Guanciale will probably be the hardest to find but there are many reputably Italian food imports on the interwebs where you can buy it. Guanciale has a funk in a good way that is an absolute requirement.

Guanciale

Guanciale is an Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, the Italian word for ‘cheek’

Can you use Parmigiana cheese instead of Pecorino Romano? Can you use Pancetta instead of Guanciale? Sure. Would it be Bucatini all’Amatriciana? No. Trust this recipe. Try it once. I know here in America we like a ton of sauce, just try it once like the Italians do it. Pasta al denta (firm to the bite) and quanto basta (just enough) sauce.

Makes 4 servings for hungry people.

Ingredients for Bucatini all’Amatriciana

• 1 lbs Bucatini pasta
• 28 oz canned San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
• 4 oz Guanciale, cut in 1″ batons
• 1/2 cup wine + to taste
• 6-10 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp (or to taste) crushed red pepper flake

How to make Bucatini all’Amatriciana

1. Fill a large stock pot full of water over high heat until boiling. Season the water to salt.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium heat, add the guanciale. Cook slowly and allow the fat to render and becomes crispy.
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the guanciale and set on a paper towel.
4. Add the crushed red pepper flake to the rendered fat. Allow the flakes to season the renderings for a few seconds, tossing. Add the wine and deglaze pan. Cook the wine to reduce by half.
5. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes to the pan. Reduce the heat to a gentile simmer, stirring occasionally.
6. Add Bucatini to the boiling water and cook two minutes less than the direction call for al dente. Preserve two cups of the pasta water.
7. Add the pasta to the sauce and increase the heat to high for about 90 seconds.
8. Turn off the heat and add the Pecorino Romano and stir to combine. Add a little of the preserved pasta water to thin or more cheese to thicken.
9. Plate the pasta in a wide bowl, sprinkle a pinch crushed red pepper, a little more cheese and the Guanciale.
10. Cover the bowl and allow to steam for a minute before serving.
11. Enjoy.