While it’s traditionally made with guanciale, pancetta is more widely available and makes a perfect substitute in this bucatini all’amatriciana. This dish is named after its place of origin, Amatrice, Italy. The simple tomato sauce is full of flavor and pairs well with the bite of al dente bucatini. Serve it with pecornio romano and a glass of your favorite Italian white wine.
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Why we love bucatini all’amatriciana
When I was a kid, we used to go to this Italian restaurant that served your drinks in a mason jar with bucatini as a straw. My sister and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Years have gone by, and I still think bucatini is cool. I mean, come on, it has a hole in it, and it has thebest bite when it’s cooked properly. It’s just so much fun to eat.
So when I saw it on the menu at a restaurant in Chicago -we were there last month visiting friends – I knew I just had to order it. The dish itself was fairly simple. The sauce was comprised of pancetta, sweet onion and tomato, which was seasoned to perfection.
I knew I wanted to replicated it at home, so I double checked the menu’s description and then did a quick search of the dish. It turns out that it was based on a regional Italian speciality –Amatriciana sauce. The sauce commonlyfeaturesguanciale, which is a little bit hard to come by in our area. The restaurant had substituted pancetta, so I did, too.
And, the recipe turned out just as great – maybe even better than – as the restaurant.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
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How to make bucatini amatriciana
Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente in a large pot of salted water. When you drain the pasta be sure to save some of the pasta water and set it aside.
Cook pancetta over medium-high heat. Partially rendering the fat – about 5 minutes. This will cook a lot like bacon in the pan.
Add onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until fat has completely rendered from pancetta – about 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta and transfer to acutting board. Roughly chop into small pieces before returning to pan.
Add garlic and seasonings to the pan. After about a minute you can add wine and allow it to cook off. Stir occasionally and allow to cook for about 5 more minutes.
Toss in the tomatoes and continue to simmer until pasta is cooked.
Toss the sauce with drained pasta and top with your favorite dairy free cheese. Add a splash or two of the pasta water to make it more saucey if you want.
FAQs and tips on making this bucatini pasta recipe
How is bucatini different from spaghetti?
Bucatini is a long macaroni just like spaghetti but it has a hallow center, similar to a straw.
What is bucatini pasta best for?
Bucatini is great for thick saucey pastas. The hollow center allows the pasta to hold a little more sauce inside increasing the flavor of the dish. It is thick so it can support a heartier sauce and the hollow center gives the pasta a great texture when you bit into it.
Where is bucatini all’amatriciana from?
It is named after the town it comes from called Amatrice in Italy. It is originally made with pork cheek or guanciale, but it is commonly switched to pancetta since it is more widely available.
More bucatini recipes you will love
- Bucatini pasta with garlic butter sauce
- Bucatini with spinach, bacon, creamy parmesan sauce
- Bucatini with spicy shrimp, arugula, and breadcrumbs
- Bucatini pasta with garlic shrimp
Bucatini All’Amatriciana
While it’s traditionally made with guanciale, pancetta is more widely available and makes a perfect substitute in this bucatini all’amatriciana. This dish is named after its place of origin, Amatrice, Italy. The simple tomato sauce is full of flavor and pairs well with the bite of al dente bucatini. Serve it with pecorino romano and a glass of your favorite Italian white wine.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 16-ounce package bucatini pasta
- 8 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
- 2 cups chopped sweet onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente in a large pot of salted water.
- In a large skillet, heat pancetta over medium-high heat. Partially rendering the fat – about 5 minutes.
- Add onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until fat has completely rendered from pancetta – about 10 minutes.
- Remove pancetta and transfer to acutting board. Roughly chop before returning to pan.
- Add garlic and seasonings to pan, cooking for an additional minute.
- Add wine and allow it to cook off, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and simmer until pasta is cooked.
- Toss drained pasta with sauce and top with pecorino romano cheese when serving.
Notes
*You can substitute a heaping tablespoon of Italian herbs for the basil, parsley and oregano.
- Author: Melissa
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bucatini
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
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