Spaghetti All'amatriciana - Michael Chiarello

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/3 lb pancetta, in 1 piece and partially frozen
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon fresh italian parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup tomato puree
• 3/4 lb spaghetti
• romano cheese, for serving

Recipe

• 1 bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• 2 meanwhile, unroll the pancetta.
• 3 cut it into 1-inch long chunks and then slice each chunk thinly across the grain.
• 4 heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat.
• 5 add the pancetta and cook it until it renders some of its fat, about 5 minutes; do not allow it to crisp.
• 6 add the onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
• 7 while the onion is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water.
• 8 add the red pepper flakes and parsley to the onion mixture and cook briefly to release their fragrance.
• 9 add the vinegar and simmer briefly until it evaporates, then add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
• 10 simmer briefly to blend.
• 11 when the pasta is just shy of al dente, drain it and return it to the warm pot over moderate heat.
• 12 add the sauce and cook briefly so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, then transfer the pasta to a warmed serving bowl and shower with the romano cheese.
• 13 serve immediately.