Spaghetti or Bucatini? In ancient times in Rome, where many innkeepers came from the city of Amatrice, spaghetti was preferred over bucatini and became a classic of Lazio cuisine. Nowadays, they are prepared more or less following the traditional recipe where no onion is present. To be considered traditional, guanciale (not pancetta) and Pecorino from Amatrice (neither Sardinian nor Roman), a hard sheep’s cheese that is not too salty, must be used. For my Traditional Amatriciana Spaghetti, I used Abruzzese pecorino, which is not far from those areas and is similar in taste.
Other recipes
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 13 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Lazio
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 592.05 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.34 (g) of which sugars 4.05 (g)
- Proteins 12.32 (g)
- Fat 46.06 (g) of which saturated 15.45 (g)of which unsaturated 20.86 (g)
- Fibers 3.24 (g)
- Sodium 2,091.68 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 5.64 oz spaghetti
- 3.53 oz guanciale
- 1 tbsp dry white wine
- 7.05 oz tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water (to thin the sauce)
- 1.06 oz pecorino (from Amatrice)
- 1 grind peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Cutting Board
- Frying Pan
- Pot
Steps
Cut the guanciale into strips and brown in a pan. When it is golden, deglaze with the white wine. Turn off the heat, drain it from the fat, and set aside in a small bowl. Prepare the tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes or canned ones (adding water if too thick) and once ready, add the guanciale and leave for another 5 minutes over low heat.
Bring water to a boil in a pot, salt it, and cook the spaghetti. Drain the pasta al dente and pour into the pan with the sauce. Mix well and turn off the heat. Add the pecorino, pepper, check the saltiness, toss the pasta in the pan, and serve.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What type of pasta should be used for Amatriciana?
For pasta, spaghetti must inevitably be used, as imposed by the city of Amatrice itself, which boasts the title of “City of Amatriciana Spaghetti”.
