Pasta all'Amatriciana

There's no way to actually win an argument about which pasta sauce or pasta dish is Italy's best, but that's not really the point. Arguing is fun, especially with Italians. Just being able to passionately make your case more than makes the effort worthwhile. I tried to do that in this Pasta all'Amatriciana video, although it was really more about showing why than explaining why. I tried to do an "authentic" version, with one major exception: I used the Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce. But for the realist of real deals, we're supposed to use pure, finely crushed San Marzano tomatoes. So, if you don't have time to whip up a batch of that gorgeous sauce, don't feel too bad. Just open up a can of San Marzanos, and enjoy your even purer version. Speaking of substitutions, if you can't find guanciale, pancetta really does a nice job in its place (but try to use a little more fat than meat). You can trim off the meatier sections and save that for pizza or a frittata, then use what's left for this dish. It's much more about the fat than the flesh here, and the richness it adds to the sauce really is the secret. The last major decision you'll have is which pasta shape to use. As long as there's some type of hole involved, I'm fine with your choice. No matter what that is, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces guanciale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 cups fresh tomato sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

1. Cut guanciale into 1-inch by 1/8-inch strips.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add guanciale and cook until well browned and fully rendered, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl, leaving all the fat in the pan.
3. Start cooking the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until it is just undercooked by about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes (roughly 10 minutes). Reserve some pasta water.
4. While the pasta is cooking, add wine to the guanciale fat in the saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce and black pepper, then bring to a simmer.
5. Transfer the almost-cooked pasta to the sauce using a slotted spoon (a bit of water in the sauce is fine). Add the guanciale and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. Cook and stir until the pasta absorbs the sauce and finishes cooking, about 3 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
6. Turn off the heat and add some of the Pecorino cheese. Stir until melted, then repeat the process until all the cheese has been incorporated.
7. Divide the pasta into two bowls and serve immediately.

Chef's Notes

• If you can't find guanciale, pancetta works as a good substitute. Use a slightly higher fat ratio than meat.
• For the best flavor, try using Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce or pureed San Marzano tomatoes.
• Using wine is optional, but it adds a subtle acidity that helps balance the richness of the dish.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Nutrition Information

• Total Fat: 51g (65% Daily Value)
• Saturated Fat: 18g (92% Daily Value)
• Cholesterol: 66mg (22% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 1254mg (55% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrate: 52g (19% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 5g (16% Daily Value)
• Total Sugars: 10g
• Protein: 21g (41% Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 13mg (14% Daily Value)
• Calcium: 264mg (20% Daily Value)
• Iron: 4mg (21% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 748mg (16% Daily Value)