Amatriciana Pasta

Amatriciana is a fantastic pasta dish made with guanciale or pancetta, Romano cheese, fresh plum tomatoes with whole canned tomatoes made into a deliciously savory sauce, with a little red pepper for heat.

This is a specialty recipe that originated in the village of Amatrice, Italy and one of their signature dish prepared.

This dish has some similarities to Rigatoni alla Zozzona, and is deliciously made like other Roman dishes we love like Cacio e Pepe and of course the fabulous Carbonara all-Roman versions of grandma's recipes.

The original dish for Amatriciana (also known as all'amatriciana and la maticiana) called for NO onions in this recipe however as time evolved even some celebrity chefs and restaurants, use that addition of onion and adapted it over the years.

This simple pasta dish is very flavorful, yet the sauce is a tad bit spicy, the recipe is how my grandma made this back in the 1960s as it originated from Rome, Italy her hometown.

Although the dish’s history dates back to the 1700s, amatriciana sauce is made with a good grade olive oil, cured pork, whole tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Scroll down to our printable recipe card for the exact measurements to get started on making this super easy Amatriciana pasta dish!

Simplicity Of the Sauce

We use two kinds of tomatoes in this sauce whole canned and plum tomatoes.

Grandma would use a food mill to remove the skins and seeds for the whole tomatoes (we now add them to a food processor either way works great!).
The fresh plum tomatoes are chopped in small bits and gives a nice thickness and chunky appearance.

Pasta Suggestions

1. rigatoni
2. bowties
3. mostaccioli
4. fusilli
5. seashells
6. spaghetti
7. bucatini

Tips

• cook any kind of pasta you prefer al dente
• there is no onion is the original recipe however you can use it if that's your preference
• use only imported tomatoes
• take the skins and remove seeds out of the plum tomatoes
• chop and dice the guanciale
• for a sweeter sauce add a carrot but remove it after it simmers in the wine 
• if you can't find pork guanciale, use pancetta or bacon instead
• use only Pecorino Romano freshly grated cheese do not use pre-grated cheeses for best results
• use red pepper flakes to taste

Ingredients in this recipe you will need(for exact measurements scroll to the printable recipe card)

• bucatini aka perciatelli or another pasta you prefer
• pork guanciale, or use pancetta
• San Marzano tomatoes
• extra virgin olive oil
• plum tomatoes
• white wine 
• pasta water
• Pecorino Romano cheese
• red pepper flakes

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Easy Classic Pasta Dishes

Amatriciana Pasta is made with total simplicity, we just love this dish especially in summer with fresh garden plum tomatoes which you can use all fresh when possible.


You're probably reading the recipe and thinking no herb in there or garlic. Nope not in this particular recipe, can you add it of course?


This pasta dish is fabulous as is, however, in your region of Italy or how your family would like it is up to you just like the famous chefs prepare it differently all over the world so adapt away.


Enjoy this Roman culinary experience it surely is an easy and quick recipe to follow and I remember watching grandma as a little girl make this dish.

Amatriciana Pasta

Yield: 6

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

A Roman dish called Amatriciana is made with tomatoes and simple pantry ingredients in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of your favorite pasta (we prefer bucatini (the same name for bucatini is perciatelli. or use spaghetti or vermicelli pasta for this dish)
• 28 ounces of San Marzano whole tomatoes or another imported from Italy
• extra virgin olive oil
• 12 fresh plum tomatoes
• 1 pound of guanciale in diced
• 1/4 teaspoon or more to taste Utica Grind red pepper flakes to taste (a staple ingredient from Avico in Utica New York) you can use whatever kind you prefer
• 1 cup of dry white wine (we use Pinot Grigio or Chablis)
• Pecorino Romano freshly grated from the block cheese (do not use pre-grated cheeses)
• salt, and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta in salted water al denti and drain reserving 1 or 2 cups of pasta water in a bowl and set the pasta aside ( you can add a few tablespoons of water in this to keep it from sticking).
2. Dice the guanciale or pancetta into small thin strips or diced cubes.
3. Add the whole tomatoes to a food processor and pulse keeping chunky.
4. Chop the fresh tomatoes into small pieces and set them aside. (I squeeze out the seeds and remove the skins also).
5. In a large deep frying pan add around 3 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the pork bits/strips with the (Utica Grind red pepper flakes)until crispy this takes around 5 to 6 minutes then sat the fat.
6. Keep the crispy pork pieces warm.
7. In the same pan on medium-high heat add the wine and tomatoes and simmer for around 10 minutes (for a sweeter sauce mom would add a carrot to it and remove it later).
8. Add the pasta to the pan, and add around 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the pan.
9. Add the guanciale pieces and around 3 tablespoons of grated cheese or more to taste.
10. On your table for serving to taste: a bottle to drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top, more red pepper flakes, and a few twists of freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

Tips

• cook any kind of pasta you prefer al dente
• there is no onion in the original recipe however you can use it if that's your preference
• use only imported tomatoes
• take the skins and remove seeds out of the plum tomatoes
• chop and dice the guanciale
• for a sweeter sauce add a carrot but remove it after it simmers in the wine 
• if you can't find pork guanciale, use pancetta or bacon instead
• use only Pecorino Romano freshly grated cheese do not use pre-grated cheeses for best results
• use red pepper flakes to taste

Pasta Suggestions

1. rigatoni
2. bowties
3. mostaccioli
4. fusilli
5. seashells
6. spaghetti
7. bucatini

Nutrition Facts

Calories

915.83

Fat (grams)

61.78

Sat. Fat (grams)

23.03

Carbs (grams)

62.54

Fiber (grams)

3.94

Net carbs

58.61

Sugar (grams)

5.71

Protein (grams)

20.68

Sodium (milligrams)

722.15

Cholesterol (grams)

86.2

Similar Recipes

Cacio e Pepe

Rigatoni alla Zozzona

Roman-Style Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2010/01/italian-with-broccoli-grilled-chicken.html

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Amatriciana pasta recipe, Roman pasta recipes, pasta with bucatini, tomato sauce Amatriciana, all'amatriciana and la maticiana

pasta recipes, tomato sauce pasta recipes, Roman dishes, spaghetti recipes, simple tomato sauce recipes

Italian

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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010 It was edited and re-published in 2023.