Bucatini Amatriciana is one of the four classic Roman-Italian Dishes. A creamy and salty red sauce flavored with the oil of the guanciale and black pepper. Amatriciana is a dish that will make Italians enraged if you change any aspect of the dish. So, substitutions are not really an option if you're making a true amatriciana.
Amatriciana has a long history and originally was a white sauce, similar to pasta al gricia. It wasn't until tomatoes were introduced in Italy that they became a regular part of the dish and that wasn't until Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Originally, in the town of Amatrice, farmers would get together and cook fresh pasta with guanciale (pork jowl) and cheese together with pasta. They used bucatini because it was easy to make the pasta and wrap it around the wire to dry and travel with.
Today, bucatini isn't the only pasta to make amatriciana with. I always see people making it with rigatoni and other popular pasta. I think the bucatini is the way to go with this pasta though. The way the tubule fills with sauce makes this dish worth every second. The guanciale is so uniquely flavored, probably the best part of the animal. Sort of like how Sandor Clegane loves pig feet, I love pork jowl.
The Four Ingredients for Bucatini Amatriciana
- 6 oz guanciale
- ⅔ cup pecorino romano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 14 oz peeled tomatoes
- ½ lb bucatini
Substitutions for Ingredients in Bucatini Amatriciana
Italians go crazy when you mess with the four Roman dishes, carbonara, gricia, cacio e pepe, and amatriciana. I've been doing this long enough to know what recipes I can mess with and which I can't.
But, and that's a BIG but, you can substitute pancetta for guanciale in any of these recipes. It won't be exactly the same. It's a fact. Amatriciana is so delicious but it will also be delicious with pancetta. Pancetta just tastes different than guanciale, so it's a different flavor.
As for the pecorino romano, you can substitute parmesan if you don't care about the authenticity of the dish. Which I genuinely don't, good food is good food. But when you make bucatini amatriciana the right way, you'll understand why they use these four ingredients, specifically.
How to make Bucatini Amatriciana
Four ingredients. Four steps. Amatriciana is not a difficult dish to make. It requires patience though. The 30 minutes you need to cook this, means you need to be in front of the stove for 30 minutes. It all happens really quickly and you need to be right in front of the stove to pull it off at the right time!
Chop guanciale into strips or pieces. Bring a large frying pan to medium heat. Place the guanciale in the pan and render the fat until the guanciale is crispy with brown and black edges. Remove from the pan with a straining spoon, leaving at least 3 tablespoon of oil. Don't let the guanciale burn. It should have a reddish-brown tinge with black corners when it is done.
Boil a large pot of water. Salt the water and add the bucatini. Cook until al dente. Save pasta water for the sauce. Saving pasta water is essential for bucatini. It will ensure that the sauce sticks to the pasta, which is important for such thick pasta.
Hand-squeeze the peeled tomatoes into the sauce. Use your hand to crush the tomatoes into the hot oil. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Add ¼ cup of pasta water into the sauce and mix well. Drop in the bucatini and toss in the sauce.
Add black pepper and pecorino romano to the sauce and toss. Serve immediately, adding the crispy guanciale on top of the pasta.
The Finished Product
Amatriciana is not a difficult dish. The beauty of the dish is in its simplicity. Follow the directions as closely as possible. Try not to change anything the first time you make it. These Roman-Italian dishes are famous for a reason. Once you try it the right way one time, feel free to make whatever substitutions you need at that moment.
I make these dishes often and I make substitutions all the time. But I feel you have to know what it tastes like on its own to make substitutions, this way you know the flavor you are aiming for.
Check out some of our other amazing pasta right here! These aren't classics like the Roman pasta but they are also incredible tasting!
Farfalle with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Be sure to leave a comment or review below! We love to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram @vindelgiudice or Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch.
📖 Recipe
Bucatini Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 6 oz guanciale
- ½ lb bucatini
- ⅔ cup pecorino romano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 14 oz peeled tomatoes
Instructions
- Chop guanciale into strips or pieces. Bring a large frying pan to medium heat. Place the guanciale in the pan and render the fat until the guanciale is crispy with brown and black edges. Remove from the pan, leaving at least 3 tablespoon of oil.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the bucatini. Cook until al dente. Save pasta water for the sauce.
- Hand-squeeze the peeled tomatoes into the sauce. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Add ¼ cup of pasta water into the sauce and mix well. Drop in the bucatini and toss in the sauce.
- Add black pepper and pecorino romano to the sauce and toss. Serve immediately, adding the crispy guanciale on top of the pasta.
Comments
No Comments