guanciale-amatriciana.jpgI generally dislike “red sauces”. Most tomato-based sauces just seem boring to my palate, and are usually too acidic, or just don’t carry much of a punch. So on any Italian restaurant menu, I’ll skip the tomato-based dishes, and head straight for the oil or cream-based sauces when I’m in the mood for pasta. More pesto, please!

That being said, this dish, while tomato-based, is fantastic. The secret is not in the ingredients, but in the cooking method. The tomatoes are allowed to caramelize in the oil, which adds a depth of flavor and richness not typically found in such dishes. I heard this recipe from Lynne Rosetto-Casper of The Splendid Table, but its a fairly famous preparation.

As my husband says, putting bacon in spaghetti sauce is a “concept everyone can get behind“.

Items

  • 2 Tb olive oil
  • 1 28oz can good-quality whole plum tomatoes in juice
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
  • 6oz pancetta or smoked American bacon (I couldn’t find pancetta, and the bacon version is fabulous), cut into 1/2 dice
  • 1 lb bucatini, thick spaghetti, or spaghetti
  • 1 Tsp salt (at least)
  • 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper (at least)
  • 1 Tsp - 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you like things)
  • freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

Method

  1. Start the pasta water, and heat olive oil in large sautee pan over medium high heat.
  2. Cook bacon or pancetta in oil, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 6-8 minutes at least. Remove bacon from fat and reserve (leave the fat in the pan). Increase heat to high.
  3. Take half of the tomatoes, lift them from the can, and squeeze them gently to remove as much liquid or seeds in them as you can. Add them to the oil in the pan, along with half of the onion, and cook over high heat until onions and tomatoes start to caramelize around the edges, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes.  I actually only stir the onions, and rather flip the tomatoes when they get browned.  The point is to let the caramelization of the sugars work its magic on the fruit and the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add the remaining tomatoes with their juices, remaining onion, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and reserved bacon or pancetta, turn down the heat, and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. When finished keep warm over very low heat.
  5. Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water. Drain.
  6. Toss pasta with sauce in pan over medium heat for a minute or so.
  7. Serve toppped with a generous portion of the cheese.

Serves 4.