Nina:
When I make this, I feel like I'm back in Italy eating pasta in my favorite lunch spot. A terrific reminder of the creative Italian approach to cuisi...
This emblematic dish from the Rome area highlights local speciality ingredients, including tomatoes, Italian bacon, Pecorino cheese, and bucatini pasta, a slightly thicker delicious pasta similar to spaghetti with a miniscule tunnel in the middle of the pasta ribbon.
Traditional Amatriciana features these ingredients, in varying quanities. Local chefs compete to see who can craft the tastiest version every year, but we love them with the same ardor!
An idea for Pasta night in your house: see if anyone can identify all the unique, memorable ingredients in this gourmet pasta recipe when you make it in your own kitchen. The winner gets a second helping!
The sweetness of the guanciale, the savouriness of the pecorino and the acidity of the tomato: a riot of flavours that finds its ideal accompaniment in a medium-structured and fresh red wine, which has the ability to enhance, cleanse and lead to the next mouthful. Perfect is Cesanese del Piglio, a fragrant, elegant, persistent and very fresh wine. To enhance the savouriness of the Roman pecorino, opt for a classic Orvieto, where the minerality stands out and the structure of the Grechetto supports the tasty richness of the dish.
Try it with...
Filippo Bartolotta
for 6 servings
Step
1
Of 3
In a medium bowl, blend the semola flour with eggs, and knead to reach smooth, soft consistency that holds its shape when formed into a ball.
Continue kneading dough with your palm on a floured working surface. Keep kneading until dough is soft, elastic, and compact. Shape dough into a ball, and cover with plastic wrap to maintain elasticity. Allow to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
Remove plastic wrap, and continue kneading dough while shaping the dough into a rectangle approximately the width of the pasta machine to be used.
Begin rolling out dough using prepared pasta machine, generously dusting the machine with semola to prevent dough from sticking to pasta machine. Flatten dough through machine until desired thickness is reached, adjusting knobs to make dough thinner each time it passes through machine.
Dust working space with semola. Once you have reached desired thickness, cut pasta dough into working sizes. Place noodle cutter onto pasta machine, and pass each piece through to to create noodle shapes. Form into a nest shape, and rest on wooden kitchen board dusted well with additional semola flour.
Step
2
Of 3
In a medium sauce pot, coat bottom of pan with extra-virgin olive oil, allow to heat. Coarsely dice Italian bacon, set aside. Add garlic, and allow to take on golden brown color before adding bacon to pan. Once bacon begins to brown, remove garlic and add tomato pulp or purée. Allow sauce to boil, then adjust to taste with salt. Lower heat, cover pot, and allow to cook very slowly for at least 30 minutes.
Step
3
Of 3
In large sauce pot, boil generous amount of water, add salt. Add noodles, and when cooked through (taste for doneness), drain well. Add to pot with tomato sauce, adjust to taste with salt. If pasta is too dry, add a small amount of pasta cooking water. Place servings onto individual serving plates immediately, and garnish with seasoned grated or slivered Pecorino cheese.
Try it with...
Filippo Bartolotta
Unquestionably Masciarelli's most famous label, dedicated to his beloved wife who changed his life.
View productThe Valpolicella Ripasso is a structured red by the Bertani Wine Estate, 2018 Vintage
View productThe "Storia di Famiglia"wine is a Chianti Classico, one of the most beloved wines produced by Cecchi and well known in Italy
View productThe Cielo D'Ulisse 2015 is Podere le Ripi's most "classic style" Brunello.
View productUnquestionably Masciarelli's most famous label, dedicated to his beloved wife who changed his life.
View productThe Valpolicella Ripasso is a structured red by the Bertani Wine Estate, 2018 Vintage
View productThe "Storia di Famiglia"wine is a Chianti Classico, one of the most beloved wines produced by Cecchi and well known in Italy
View productThe Cielo D'Ulisse 2015 is Podere le Ripi's most "classic style" Brunello.
View productNina Sunday 12th of April 2020
Brings me back to Italy
When I make this, I feel like I'm back in Italy eating pasta in my favorite lunch spot. A terrific reminder of the creative Italian approach to cuisine.