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Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

Serves 4
 
 
This is a standard dish in Roman trattorias. On American menus it is often wrongly called spaghetti alla Matriciana, which doesn't mean anything. Its name comes from that fact that it originated in Amatrice, a town east of Rome, near the border between Abruzzo and Umbria. Different regions therefore take credit for its invention, which only proves how beloved it its. Hot pepper is an essential here, but I've left out an amount. Only you know how hot your pepper is and how hot you can take it. (A point on authenticity: Fifty years ago -- and maybe still in some Italian homes and trattorias -- this dish would have been made with lard, as well as bacon, but now olive oil is the usual fat.)
4   slices unsmoked bacon (for instance, Oscar Meyer) or pancetta (about 4 ounces) cut into 1/4-inch strips
     
1   tablespoon olive oil
     
1 medium onion, finely chopped
     
    Hot pepper flakes
1   28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, very well drained
     
    Salt
     
1 pound spaghetti, linguine, bucatini or tubular macaroni such as ziti
     
1/3   cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, plus extra cheese

    1. Put on a pot of salted water to boil, then start the sauce.

    2. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, combine the bacon or pancetta with the oil. After the bacon starts sizzling, sauté for about 3 minutes.

    3. Add the onion and hot pepper flakes to the bacon and continue to cook 5 more minutes.

    4. Add the pasta to the boiling water.

    5. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and break up with the side of a wooden spoon. Let simmer about 8 minutes, until reduced to a thick, chunky sauce. Season with salt to taste.

    6. Drain the pasta and, in a large serving bowl, toss with the hot sauce, then toss again with the cheese.

    7. Serve immediately with extra cheese on the side.

 
 
 
- From What To Cook When You Think There's Nothing In The House To Eat: More Than 175 Recipes And Meal Ideas. New York: HarperPerennial (HarperCollins), 1992. 275p.-
 
 
 
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