Best Amatriciana Sauce Recipes

AMATRICIANA SAUCE

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes to a smooth, creamy consistency in a food processor or with an immersion blender; set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add the guanciale and saute 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown.
• Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute 1 minute. Add the pureed tomatoes, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir well. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes, or until the sauce darkens and thickens. Toss with just-cooked pasta and serve with a sprinkling of parsley and cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

TINY POTATO DUMPLINGS WITH TOMATO, ONION, AND GUANCIALE SAUCE (GNOCCHETTI ALL' AMATRICIANA)

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté guanciale and onion, stirring, until onion is golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, water, sugar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Make gnocchetti:
• Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 2 inches in a large pot, then simmer, uncovered, until very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain in a colander and, when cool enough to handle, peel.
• Force warm potatoes through ricer into a large bowl. Add flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to come together. Gently form dough into a ball and cut in half.
• Knead each dough half on a floured surface until smooth, about 1 minute (if dough sticks to surface, dust lightly with additional flour). Cut each half evenly into 10 pieces. Roll 1 piece into a 14-inch-long rope (1/2 inch thick), keeping remaining pieces covered with a kitchen towel. Cut rope crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces and toss pieces lightly with flour on work surface.
• Press a piece of dough against tines of a floured fork and push with a floured thumb in a forward rolling motion toward end of tines, letting gnocchetti fall from fork into a well-floured shallow baking pan. Make more gnocchetti in same manner.
• Just before cooking, gently shake gnocchetti in 4 batches in a large medium-mesh sieve to knock off excess flour. Cook gnocchetti in 4 batches in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until they float, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large shallow bowl as cooked and spoon some sauce on top.

AMATRICIANA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the onions to the skillet and saute until translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper (a generous pinch if you like spicy). Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces. Add the pancetta back to the skillet. Add salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Bring to a low simmer, cover and cook until the flavors have melded and the sauce is slightly thickened, 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the sauce cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Stir 1/2 cup of the pasta water into the sauce (skip this step if using gluten-free pasta), then drain the pasta. Add the pasta and cheese to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve with additional cheese.