Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

The pork fat melts and turns translucent in the pan, releasing its juices. An intense red sauce of stewed tomatoes coats every strand of pasta with a hint of heat.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 889
• Protein: 36 g
• Carbs: 81 g
• Fat: 48 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Spaghetti
• 200 g Smoked cured pork belly ( cut into sticks )
• 500 g Round tomato ( crushed )
• 80 g Pecorino cheese (sheep cheese) ( grated )
• 50 ml Dry white wine
• 1 piece Hot chili pepper ( sliced )
• 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 150 g Guanciale ( cut into strips )

Instructions

1. Meat preparation

   Cut the salt pork and guanciale into regular strips about 1 cm thick. In a cold pan, place the meats and heat over medium heat to render the fat without burning the meat.

2. Browning and deglazing

   Continue cooking until the guanciale and pork pieces are crispy and golden. Add the minced chili. Deglaze with the dry white wine and let reduce almost to dryness to concentrate the flavors.

3. Simmering the sauce

   Add the previously crushed round tomatoes. Simmer over low heat. The sauce should thicken until it coats the spoon and the oil slightly rises to the surface.

4. Cooking the pasta

   Plunge the spaghetti into a large quantity of boiling salted water. Remove them 2 minutes before the end of the indicated time: they must remain firm to the bite.

5. Final liaison

   Toss the pasta directly in the sauce with a ladle of cooking water. Add the grated pecorino off the heat and stir vigorously to create a creamy emulsion.

Chef's tips

• Never add garlic or onion; it is a serious mistake for this dish.
• The pasta cooking water is full of starch; it is what creates the bond between the sauce and the cheese.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce.