This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Here is a recipe for Sumptuous Bucatini all'Amatriciana!
1,000 Foods To Eat Project
I am working my way through the foods that are listed in the book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project.
In this book, the author Mimi Sheraton lists her choices for the 1,000 Foods of the World that you MUST try.
It should come as no surprise that Pasta is one of the foods in this book! Did you know there around 350 different types of pasta? And many many more names for them! For example, what one person calls farfalle, another may call bowtie.
I tend to stick with the same pastas: spaghetti, linguine, penne, etc. However, I was delighted to recently try bucatini pasta!
What is Bucatini Pasta?
The book mentions a pasta of Rome, called Bucatini all'Amatriciana. Bucatini is holy pasta! LOL Actually this pasta is tubelike...think long strand (spaghetti like) with a hole running through its center!
If you haven't tried bucatini before I strongly suggest that you do! (As part of this recipe of course. :-)) By the way, the best way I could describe eating bucatini was that it felt "fluffy" or "pillowy." Sounds strange but you will understand once you try it!
If you would like to order bucatini on Amazon, click here.
What is Amatriciana Sauce?
Amatriciana sauce hails from the town of Amatrice, in the Lazio region of Italy. The capital of Lazio is Rome, so this sauce and dish is very prevalent in Roman cuisine.
The sauce consists of tomato (I used Pomi Finely Chopped Tomatoes), onion, and traditionally guanciale (cured pork cheek). I used bacon here, because I was unable to obtain guanciale. You can also substitute pancetta or prosciutto if you prefer.
It would seem that pecorino cheese is the preferred cheese for this sauce (over Parmesan), however Parmesan can be used as I have done here.
In my version I have also added garlic and some fresh chilies, although crushed red pepper is a perfect substitute.
Wikipedia has a great article that goes more in depth on this sauce, click here to read all about it!
This sauce is so rich with flavor...can't you just taste it? 🙂
Get Ready To Have Fun Eating This Dish!
Are you ready to have some fun eating Bucatini all'Amatriciana? I think this dish is fun to eat because:
- The texture is so interesting! The words "what in the world?" may cross your mind when you take your first bite of bucatini! As mentioned earlier it feels "pillowy" or "fluffy" to bite into...super fun!
- You can practice and perfect the name of this dish during dinner! Keep saying "Bucatini all'Amatriciana" until it rolls off the tongue...you're then speaking Italian!
- Twirl away! Perfect the art of the twirl. 🙂 Try to get some bacon, cheese and parsley on your fork along with the bucatini. Take a pic and post on your favorite social media to show off your expert noodle pull!
I do hope you will give this a try! Enjoy this scrumptious meal with your family soon!
Some Other Great Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy!
Linguine With Delicious Parsley Pesto
Simple and Delicious Cacio e Pepe
Buon appetito!
Grace
Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 1 lb bucatini pasta cooked
- 26 oz finely chopped tomatoes I used Pomi brand
- 1 onion minced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 Thai chilis minced OR sub crushed red pepper to taste
- 5 slices bacon diced OR sub 4oz chopped pancetta or prosciutto
- Parmesan or Pecorino cheese garnish with as much as you please!
- Italian parsley garnish with as much as you please!
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- sugar just a pinch
Instructions
- Heat up a large skillet on medium high heat and fry the diced bacon (or pancetta or prosciutto) for around 3-5 minutes or so. If using bacon, you don't want it to be super crispy...aim for just starting to brown and turn crispy. If using bacon, remove all but around 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
- Add minced garlic, Thai chilis, and onion. Stir fry constantly for around 3 min.
- Add the finely chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil, stirring. Lower the temperature to a simmer, and simmer for around 20 minutes. Add a little salt and pepper during this time of simmering.
- While the sauce is cooking, you can cook your pasta and set it aside until the sauce is ready.
- Once the sauce is ready, add the bucatini pasta to it and stir. Add a pinch of sugar, and taste and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) if necessary.
- Serve a heaping bowl of Bucatini all'Amatriciana garnished with Parmesan (or pecorino) and Italian parsley!
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