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Spaghetti all’Amatriciana
Amatriciana is a minimalist equation of pasta, tomatoes, guanciale and pecorino Romano cheese. In Rome, it’s served with barely any sauce, as we learned from Mario Ive, retired artillery colonel in the Italian army and cookbook author. We prefer the robustness of guanciale, but pancetta also works; if possible, look for fattier pieces. One small can of tomatoes is all that is needed for the perfect balance of fat and acid. We intentionally undercook the pasta; it finishes in the sauce.
4-6
Servings
Tip
Don’t discard any of the rendered guanciale fat; it’s essential for the dish’s flavor. The fat adds richness while balancing the acidity from the tomatoes and the heat from the pepper flakes.
40 minutes
Ingredients
-
2
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-
4
ounces guanciale or pancetta, chopped
Directions
-
01In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the guanciale and cook, stirring, until well browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside.
Reviews
July 22, 2026
Simply Delicious!
I made this and loved it! It was easy to make. I used pancetta, but next time I am going to look for guanciale to try it with that. The pecorino Romano cheese goes perfectly with it. I had though about substituting another cheese, but I'm glad I went the the recipe as specified.
June 27, 2026
Splatter Everywhere
Im not sure what happened but during the garlic heating process the oil was exploding towards me. My shirt and pants may be ruined permanently. I followed the instructions and didn't deviate.
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