The traditional recipe for Bucatini Amatriciana has 4 ingredients. Pork cheek which is called (Guanciale) in Italian, peeled tomatoes, grated pecorino romano cheese and black pepper..
There are so many versions of Bucatini all’ Amatriciana online that are not authentic. The whole point of this dish is to melt down the fat from the pork cheek and incorporate it in the tomato sauce, this is what makes the Amatriciana sauce so flavorful.
This authentic Bucatini all’ Amatriciana recipe originated in the town Amatrice (Italy) and later was adopted by the Romans, only then they started adding white wine and occasionally fresh chili peppers. Enjoy this great delicacy pasta dish with few ingredients yet packed with flavor.
Below are some pointers on how to make the best Bucatini Amatriciana dish.
1. Do not add oil.. I’ve seen many Amatriciana recipes online that add oil (what is the point of frying the Italian bacon?)..
2. Do not use smoked bacon, it changes the whole flavor of the dish. If you can’t find pork cheek use cured salted bacon or pancetta (pork belly).
3. Do not add salt to the sauce, guanciale and pancetta are very salty..
Bucatini all’ Amatriciana Recipe (How To Video)
How To Make Bucatini all’ Amatriciana
1. Cut the Guanciale (Pork Cheek) into slices and trim the peppered edges, then cut them into small rectangular cube like pieces.. Some like them a little thicker some like them thin.. Will leave that up to you.
2. Put the cubed pork cheek in a frying pan without oil on medium high heat and cook them until they are brown and crispy.. You will notice the fat will slowly produce oil for the sauce. Once the pork cheek cubes are cooked take about half and place them in a separate bowl to top the sauce with the pasta at the end.
3. Pour the peeled tomatoes into the frying pan with the rest of the guanciale cubes, stir mix and bring the sauce to a boil then cook on low heat for 30 minutes. While stirring you can break up the peeled tomatoes into smaller pieces. Add black pepper and stir every 10 minutes.
4. Cooking the Bucatini: Bring water to a boil in large pot, add a tbsp of salt, then toss in 360g of bucatini pasta.. After 8 minutes they should be ready.
5. When the pasta is cooked do not drain in a colander, clinch a batch of bucatini’s with a kitchen tong, raise it above the boiling pot to drain the water then toss them in the frying pan with the sauce.. When you are done adding the bucatini’s in the sauce turn off heat and stir mix to blend all ingredients.
6. To plate this amitriciana pasta dish put the desired amount in a plate then add some pieces of the cooked pork cheek on top, sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a pinch of black pepper. Enjoy and Buon Appetito!
Recipe Ingredients
Cookware Needed For This Recipe
Boiling Pot To Cook The Bucatini’s
Frying Pan
Kitchen Tong
Mixing Bowls
Spatula Or Wood Spoon To Mix Sauce
Ingredients For This Recipe
Guanciale (Pork Cheek) 160g – If you can’t find Guanciale Use Pancetta (Pork Belly)
Peeled Tomatoes (650g)
Black Pepper
Bucatini Pasta (360g)
