Bucatini all Amatriciana

Bucatini all Amatriciana sounds fancy (and can be a little tough to say), but is actually really simple to make. A handful of really good ingredients come together to make a fantastic pasta.

This pasta = a time machine

This Pasta all'Amatriciana takes me right back to our trip to Italy. I can vividly remember sitting across from Sean in a small restaurant in Rome, eating this pasta.

This is one of the things that I really love about food. Sure, at its most basic, food fuels us and can be quite delicious. But it can also function as a time machine, transporting you to treasured memories past.

After seeing photos pop up on my Facebook feed during the 1-year anniversary of our trip to Rome and Florence in mid-March (click the links to see pictures!), I got to thinking about how I hadn't really drawn on any culinary inspiration from our trip and applied it to my own cooking. This must change.

What goes into this pasta dish?

• Olive oil: Extra virgin, please
• Cured meat: You can use either guanciale or pancetta. Guanciale is more traditional, but I find that pancetta is more readily available in the grocery stores near me. Both are salty and a little funky.
• Spices: This recipe calls for red pepper flakes and freshly cracked black pepper.
• Onion and garlic: Nothing fancy here.
• Tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes make this dish come together really quickly.
• Pasta: Bucatini is like a big, fat, hollow spaghetti noodle. If you can't find bucatini, spaghetti will also do in a pinch.
• Cheese: Use finely ground Pecorino Romano.

How does this pasta come together?

It sounds fancy (and can be a little tough to say), but is actually really simple to make Bucatini all Amatriciana.

You'll start out by sautéeing some guanciale or pancetta (I used pancetta) in olive oil, add some spices and onion/garlic, then add crushed tomatoes and simmer for a bit. That's basically it. All that's left is to cook some pasta, toss it with the sauce, and top generously with cheese.

Easy peasy.

Looking for similar recipes?

This Bucatini Cacio e Pepe is another delicious and easy Roman pasta dish. AND don't forget about Risotto Cacio e Pepe!

I've also used bucatini pasta in my Creamy Corn and Bucatini with Burrata as well as my Creamy Bucatini with Crispy Mushrooms.

Where did you find this recipe?

This recipe comes from Bon Appétit.

✨ Recipe

Bucatini all Amatriciana

Lauren Pacek

Bucatini all Amatriciana sounds fancy (and can be a little tough to say), but is actually really simple to make. A handful of really good ingredients come together to make a fantastic pasta.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Calories 576 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 4 oz guanciale pancetta, or unsmoked bacon, diced
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
• 1 small onion minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• kosher salt to taste
• 12 oz dried bucatini or spaghetti
• ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated

Instructions

 

• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale/pancetta/bacon and sauté until crisp and golden. 
• Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper, stirring to combine. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft. 
• Add the crushed tomatoes and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens (15-20 minutes).
• While the pasta sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 2 minutes before al dente. 
• Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.
• Add the drained pasta to the sauce in the skillet and toss vigorously with tongs to coat. 
• Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and cook until the sauce coats the pasta and the pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. You can add a little more pasta water if the sauce is too dry. 
• Transfer the pasta to bowls and top with cheese.

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

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