SPAGHETTI AMATRICIANA – Recipe by Piero Benigni – This dish is traditionally made with spaghetti or bucatini, a thick spaghetti that’s hollow like a straw. It’s typical of the roman cuisine but extremely popular everywhere in Italy and abroad. The main ingredients are pork cheek (guanciale in italian), true black skin pecorino romano cheese and peeled tomatoes. Let’s see the authentic and original recipe.
Ingredients for 2 persons
- 170 gspaghetti (or bucatini, 6 oz)
- 150 gpork cheek (5 oz)
- 400 gpeeled tomatoes (14 oz)
- 60 gpecorino romano (2 oz)
- q.s.chilli
- q.s.salt
Tools for spaghetti amatriciana
- Cooker
- Pot
- Pan
- Colander
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden fork
- Scale
Recipe by Piero Benigni
Cut the cheek into slices about 3/8″ thick (1 cm) then into pieces of the same width about 1″ long (2,5 cm). Grate the cheese, that must be true pecorino romano with the black skin. Put the cheek pieces into the pan with some drops of olive oil and gently brown them until the fat is transparent. This will take about 5-6 minutes. Remove the fried cheek from the pan and put it aside, but leave the molten fat.
Add the chilli and the peeled tomatoes into the pan. Mash them with a fork and remove the core (if any), then cook gently for 10-12 minutes to reduce them. Add half a teaspoon of sugar and season with salt. Put the browned cheek back into the pan. Turn off the stove and cook the pasta until it is very “al dente”. Drain the pasta and add it into the pan but save a large cup of the boiling water.
Light the fire and finish cooking over a high heat stirring and sautéing until the spaghetti are at the right point. Pour a little boiling water if needed, because the dish must be creamy and a little wet. Turn off the flame and sprinkle the cheese, than stir quickly and serve with more cheese as topping.
Enjoy your meal!
Cut the cheek into slices about 3/8″ thick (1 cm) then into pieces of the same width about 1″ long (2,5 cm). Grate the cheese, that must be true pecorino romano with the black skin. Put the cheek pieces into the pan with some drops of olive oil and gently brown them until the fat is transparent. This will take about 5-6 minutes. Remove the fried cheek from the pan and put it aside, but leave the molten fat.
Add the chilli and the peeled tomatoes into the pan. Mash them with a fork and remove the core (if any), then cook gently for 10-12 minutes to reduce them. Add half a teaspoon of sugar and season with salt. Put the browned cheek back into the pan. Turn off the stove and cook the pasta until it is very “al dente”. Drain the pasta and add it into the pan but save a large cup of the boiling water.
Light the fire and finish cooking over a high heat stirring and sautéing until the spaghetti are at the right point. Pour a little boiling water if needed, because the dish must be creamy and a little wet. Turn off the flame and sprinkle the cheese, than stir quickly and serve with more cheese as topping.
Enjoy your meal!
The main ingredients: pork cheek, pecorino romano, peeled tomatoes
Browning the cheek until the fat becomes transparent
When the tomato is ready, put the cheek back into the pan
Drain the spaghetti very “al dente” and put them into the pan
Finish cooking in the pan. In the photo the spaghetti amatriciana ready to be served
This dish should be eaten when ready. I suggest not to put it in the fridge nor to freeze it.