Many years ago, I became infatuated with Bucatini all' amatriciana (Ah-ma-TREE-chee-ah-nah), a pasta dish so beloved in its native land that two Italian cities - Rome and the smaller Amatrice, about 80 miles northeast - lay claim to its origin. In mid-August, this wonderful dish is traditionally served throughout Italy for the holiday of "Fer Agosto," when most factories and stores close and the Italians relax and feast.
Amatriciana is a somewhat spicy, tomato-based sauce with a uniquely complex flavor for a dish of such few and simple ingredients. Its richness comes from the addition of sautéed, cured pork cheeks, called guanciale (gwahn-CHAH-lay), which have a wonderfully intense and concentrated flavor, despite their low fat content relative to other cuts of pork. The only Seattle store I know of that carries guanciale (albeit somewhat sporadically) is Salumi*, the popular, downtown lunch restaurant and deli counter. Salumi's pork is dried and cured in-house, and it's as good as any import. If you're particularly adventuresome (and patient), you can cure the meat yourself. Check out www.babbonyc.com for a recipe and instructions.
While difficult to access, guanciale is worth obtaining for this special pasta dish. However, a good and readily available substitution is pancetta, which is salt-cured pork belly. Pancetta is similar in taste and texture to guanciale, although the meat is slightly less lean and the flavor milder. Bacon is not good stand-in; it's too fatty and gives the sauce an overpowering smoky flavor. Occasionally, prosciutto, Canadian bacon or ham is substituted, but each of these meats has the wrong texture and merely adds the saltiness without the flavor of guanciale.
The superb Bucatini all'Amatriciana is actually very simple to prepare, and the ingredients, other than guanciale, can be found in many grocery stores. Bucatini is long, hollow pasta that's a cross between macaroni and spaghetti; spaghetti is a fine alternative. Part of the fun in cooking a long-established dish from another culture is to emulate the preparation as closely as possible. Fortunately, we can celebrate Italy on Queen Anne by making traditional Bucatini all'Amatriciana in our own exceptional corner of the world. Enjoy... and mangia bene!
-Elizabeth Kruse
Serves 4
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 lb guanciale or pancetta**, sliced about 1/8 inches thick, then cut into 1/2inch wide strips
1/2 an onion, diced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
1 28-oz. can whole Italian tomatoes (such as San Marzano**), drained and chopped
1 lb bucatini**, or spaghetti
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano** cheese (plus extra for table)
For pasta, heat water in a large saucepan until boiling. Meanwhile, put oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add guanciale. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned.
Remove guanciale to a plate lined with paper towels and discard half the fat from pan.
Return pan to stove over medium high heat. Add onions and red pepper and sauté until onions are soft.
Return guanciale to pan, add tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally.
As the sauce cooks, add 2 tablespoons salt to pasta water and put bucatini in pot. Cook 8-10 minutes, or until done.
Drain pasta and add it to the simmering sauce, stirring to coat. (Don't worry if the coating appears a bit sparse; Amatriciana is flavorful enough to hold its own against the pasta.)
Take pan off heat, add 1/2 cup pecorino cheese and toss.
Divide pasta among four warmed pasta bowls and serve, passing extra cheese at table.
*Salumi: 309 Third Ave., 621-8772; Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
**Carried at Metropolitan Market, Ballard's Town and County and Larry's Market.[[In-content Ad]]
