I went to my favorite local Italian restaurant last week for their monthly wine dinner. Capri Restaurant, if you’re in the Raleigh area please check it out. Delizioso!  One of the dishes this month was Bucatini all’Amatriciana. It was so yummy. My only complaint was that there was not enough of it! LOL I could hardly wait to get home and re-create the recipe.

Bucatini is a long, fat, tubular pasta. If you can’t find it in your grocery, try a local specialty food shop. This dish was made famous by the city of Amatrice in Italy, which is near Rome. Typically either pancetta or guanciale (cured pork cheek - which is said to be a delicacy) is used, but you can substitute bacon. It’s an incredibly zesty, hearty meal. There is something just fun about the tubular pasta & the way it cascades off of your fork! I hope you’ll give it a try!

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

1 pacakge Bucatini
1 small onion chopped fine
4 slices of pancetta or bacon chopped into small pieces
3 tbsp unsalted butter
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup pecorino cheese
salt - kosher

Place a large pasta pot of water (enough to cook pasta) seasoned with salt on your stove to boil. WHILE the water is coming to a boil melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, add onions & saute until translucent. Add bacon & cook until bacon is crisp. Add in pepper flakes & tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are reduced and develop with other ingriedients. About 10-15  minutes. Add in your pecorino cheese & stir. AFTER you have added your tomatoes your water should be boiling  & ready to add the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain your pasta well & add to tomato mixture. Toss well. Check for seasoning, add salt if necessary  & then garnish with a little more cheese.

Buon Appetito!

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