So let me start with a disclaimer: I am not Italian. I have visited Italy, but I have very little knowledge of authentic Italian cuisine. However, I do know what I like to eat! And this Pasta Amatriciana all started with a local restaurant which has since closed. Trust me, after tasting Pasta Amatriciana you won’t care if it is authentic or not. Best of all you won’t believe how simple it is!
I first had this sauce at a tiny Italian restaurant in my neighborhood. Was it authentic? Probably not, but who really cared, the food was fantastic! My favorites at this little gem were chicken parmesan, a pizza with thinly sliced potatoes and chipotle sauce, and Pasta Amatriciana. The pasta was spicy, full of pancetta and delicious over homemade noodles. Sadly, this restaurant recently closed, so I’ve had to take some time to figure out how to make this dish at home.
Of course there will be those who say that authentic Amatriciana does not have onions in it. There will be some who will say that authentic Amatriciana does not contain garlic. Seems to be a lot of controversy about this. Solving this controversy was super easy for me. Do I like onions? YES. Do I like garlic? YES. Didn’t take much to decide to add both to my recipe.
Since I know you’re going to want to make this recipe at home, pin the photo below to your Pinterest boards-and then follow us on Pinterest!
Pasta Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pancetta diced into pieces approximately 1/4 inch thick
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 medium onion finely diced (approximately 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
- 16 ounces pasta spaghetti, bucatini or angel hair
Instructions
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In a large skillet, render fat from pancetta over medium low heat. Don't rush this step, this may take 20 minutes or so. Resist the temptation to increase the heat. (low and slow is the way to go)
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Remove crispy pancetta with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel lined plate.
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Add the red pepper flakes and onions to the pancetta fat which remains in the skillet, sauté for 3 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.
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Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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Add crushed tomatoes, crispy pancetta, salt,and a pinch of freshly ground pepper and then stir well.
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Simmer for 30 minutes.
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While sauce is simmering, cook pasta to al dente (according to package directions).
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Drain slightly undercooked pasta and set aside.
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When pasta has simmered for 30 minutes, add pasta to skillet and simmer an additional 2 minutes.
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Taste and add additional salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.
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Place pasta into bowls.
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Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
I think this last photo sums it up…if you have Pasta Amatriciana, LIFE IS GOOD!
this sounds so good… Im kind of addicted to pancetta at the moment so I know ill be trying it sooner rather than later!
Yay! Pancetta and prosciutto are on the top of my list right now too!
Sounds great! i love a bit of spice!
Right? Spice is the best!
Great pasta recipe!
We all kinds of pasta dishes and this one looks delicious. Always need really good fresh parmesan cheese.
Oh yes! The parmesan matters 😉
What a fun recipe! You had me at pancetta ❤️.
Right? SO GOOD!
Any recipe that starts with pancetta is a winner to me!
This recipe looks so delicious, I am definitely gonna try this. Our kids love pasta.
Enjoy!
I started following on Instagram because a friend had posted a recipe she tried from your page. It looked amazing!
After drooling over your Instagram images I found my way to your website. I decided this was the recipe to try. Even my picky eater loved this! I can’t wait to try more recipes.
Didn’t know our ED docs were so talented 😉
YAY! Glad to have you following! Hope you find more recipes you love!
I first ate this at a restaurant about five km outside Caltegirone, Sicily – and it had both onions and garlic in it — for what that’s worth. I love this stuff, and make it at home frequently – very similar to your recipe. Amatricia is way up north in Lazio – and I’ve never been there – and who knows how “authentic” that Sicilian cook’s was. I just know it was good, and that’s what I copied. Italians can be very fussy about their pasta – a friend told me once “oh, we never use whole grain pasta except with vegetable sauces” — well, phooey on her. As a diabetic, I eat pasta rarely these days, but it’s probably the hardest thing to give up.
Pasta is the best, and I agree, Italians can be fussy about their pasta! I love it all, “authentic” or not! Hope you can still enjoy a great bowl (or plate!) of pasta from time to time!