Bucatini all'Amatriciana with Crisp Guanciale

⏱ 35 min · Serves 4

A Roman classic done properly: sweet tomato, fiery chilli and salty guanciale rendered until glassy and crisp, clinging to hollow strands of bucatini. Four ingredients that behave like ten.

Per serving: 690 kcal · 26.0g protein · 78.0g carbs · 29.0g fat

Ingredients

• 400g bucatini
• 200g guanciale (or good pancetta), rind removed, cut into 1cm batons
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (or 1 small dried peperoncino, crumbled)
• 60ml dry white wine
• 800g tin whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 70g Pecorino Romano, finely grated, plus extra to serve

Method

1. Put a large pan of water on to boil and salt it well.
2. Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the guanciale and cook slowly for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the fat has rendered and the edges are crisp and golden.
3. Lift out about half the guanciale with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper for the topping.
4. Add the chilli flakes to the pan, sizzle for 20 seconds, then pour in the wine and let it bubble away for 1 minute, scraping the base.
5. Tip in the crushed tomatoes with a pinch of salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until thick and glossy and the oil separates slightly at the edges.
6. Meanwhile cook the bucatini until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the packet says. Scoop out a mugful of pasta water before draining.
7. Add the drained pasta to the sauce with a splash of pasta water and toss over medium heat for 1-2 minutes so it finishes cooking in the sauce.
8. Off the heat, add the Pecorino and toss hard, loosening with more pasta water until the sauce coats every strand. Season with plenty of black pepper.
9. Serve topped with the reserved crisp guanciale and extra Pecorino.