While it might languish a bit in the shadow of its more well-known Lazio cousin puttanesca, sugo all’amatriciana is one of the tastiest (and best, at least in my opinion) sauces in the Italian pantheon. In part, its beauty comes from the using a novel park of a pig, as well as the versatility of the sauce: go light on the guanciale and it’s a perfect summer pasta, while throwing a bit more in and having a lavish hand with the pecorino gives you delightful fall treat.
As in most Italian sauces, all’amatriciana starts with the meat, in this case guanciale (cured pork cheeks). At Serafina, we cure our own in house to give us the proper amount of spice, smokiness, and salinity. After sweating that down a bit, we ad in some onion, garlic, and chili for a base flavoring. This time of year, we get to add beautiful fresh tomatoes from Billy Alstott’s farm, a little oregano, and then toss in bucatini.
Our Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Bucatini has become the traditional pasta for this dish in Rome, in part because the narrow hole in the middle of the long, spaghetti-like bucatini allows for a bit more of the sauce to be absorbed into every bite. From there, we shave some fresh Pecorino Romano on top, and one of the classics of Italian cuisine is there for your enjoyment.
Guanciale has a wonderfully rich and complex taste; similar to pancetta, but with a slightly sweeter hint. It can be cubed and sauteed, as it is in this dish, or thinly sliced and laid on top of a pizza, where it functions like a meatier prosciutto.
