Amatriciana Recipe

Prep

Peel and thinly slice the red onion into half-moons until you have about 1 cup. Dice the pancetta into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Mince the garlic.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add the diced pancetta in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the edges are golden and slightly crisp, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the sliced red onion to the pan with the pancetta. Sauté together over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Stir in 1 tbs tomato paste to the pancetta and onions. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly—this deepens the tomato flavor.

Add the 28 oz crushed San Marzano tomatoes (or hand-crushed whole tomatoes) to the pan. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Season the sauce with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp sugar (if using). Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes to concentrate the flavors. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a few tablespoons of water or reserved pasta water later.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (use about 1 tbs salt per 4–6 quarts water). Add 12 oz spaghetti or bucatini and cook until 1–2 minutes shy of package al dente (usually 8–10 minutes for spaghetti; check package). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

With the sauce still at a gentle simmer, add the drained pasta directly to the sauce pan. Toss to combine. Add reserved pasta cooking water, a few tablespoons at a time, to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta. Continue tossing over low heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce emulsifies with the pasta water and rendered pancetta fat.

Turn off the heat. Add 3 oz finely grated pecorino romano and toss to combine until melted into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Serve immediately, portioning the pasta into bowls. Finish each plate with a light sprinkle of additional grated pecorino and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley if using.