During the Thanksgiving holiday, my parents in-law came to visit us from Italy.  I knew one of my mother-in-law’s best dishes is pasta all’Amatriciana, so I asked her to made it for us, and I wrote down the recipe for you!!!!

“Amatriciana” is the name of a pasta sauce, originated at the end of 1700 in Lazio Region (the region of Rome, middle Italy) in the town of Amatrice.

 

Honestly the main ingredient of this sauce should be pork cheek or jowl (“guanciale”)

but since it couldbe hard to find (or too expensive), in the rest of Italy it is also simply made with bacon.

Considering that bacon here in U.S. is really DELICIOUS, by making this spaghetti sauce you will for sure bring a breeze of Italy on your table!

One curiosity I want to share before starting with the recipe is that in Italy we usually dress with the Amatriciana sauce a special kind of spaghetti called “Bucatini”(Buco in Italian means “Hole”). This special kind of spaghetti has a hole inside, which allows to the sauce to soak them better, and make them more tasty.

But no problem, this is just a curiosity, and if cannot find “Bucatini” at the groceries store or  on-line, your Amatriciana will be perfect also with spaghetti!

To prepare the sauce, you will need about one hour.  It would be neat to make a big pan of it any moment you have some free time, and then freeze it in small containers and just thaw the quantity you need as needed.

 

INGREDIENTS (for about 20 servings)

10 oz. bacon (chopped)

1 big onion (chopped)

5 tbs. olive oil

4 springs of rosemary

3 cans tomato sauce

1 can diced tomato

1 beef buillon cube

1 tbs unsalted butter

1 (or more if you like spicy taste) tbs. crushed red pepper

sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a big pot, pour the 5 tbs. of olive oil and as soon as it starts to be warm, add the onion already chopped.

Let the onion brown, and then add the bacon, the rosemary, and crushed red pepper.  Let them cook for 3-5 minutes at medium heat.

Now add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, stir a little, turn the stove on high heat, and let your sauce reach the boiling point uncovered (it should take 10 minutes, keep stirring sometimes).

When your sauce reaches the boiling point, add the butter and as soon as the butter melts, add the beef buillon.

Let the mixure cook for about 30 minutes more, at medium heat, half-covered (just to save your stove form a lot of messy tomato sauce stain!). Don’t forget to adjust with sea salt and crushed pepper according to your taste.

It sounds super easy, and I promise you that you will love this velvety and creamy sauce.

As soon as your sauce will be ready, cook your spaghetti as usual, dress them with this sauce… and enjoy it!!!

LEARNT IT, MADE IT, LOVED IT!

Tips: – You can easily freeze your sauce in small containers, and just thaw each as needed. I usually pack 1 pound sauce for 4-5 spaghetti servings (about 1 container of spaghetti).

          – If you don’t overdo the red pepper, this sauce is definitely “kid friendly” : my daughters love it!

I really hope you liked this recipe, and if you did, please leave a comment, like it and share it with your family and friends! This way you will support my blog!

Thanks a bunch!

Silvia