AMATRICIANA

QUICK COOK

SERVES 4

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 oz (250g) unsmoked pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/4 in (0.5cm) wide strips
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 tbsp dry white wine
1 onion, finely chopped
1 - 14oz (400g) can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, or 1 lb (500g) fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
salt, black pepper
1 lb (500g) dried pasta
4 tbsp freshly grated pecorino, romano or parmesan, plus additional cheese to serve

Heat oil in a skillet. Add pancetta strips and red pepper fakes and cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat, until pancetta is crisp, 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half, 1 minute. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and just golden, 10 minutes. Turn heat to medium high. Add tomatoes and cook, until thickened, 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, until firm to the bite. Drain. Add pasta with parmesan to the hot sauce. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately with additional cheese.

WHICH PASTA?

Hollow strands or tubes - spaghetti, bucatini. penne. rigatoni.

THINK AHEAD

Make sauce up to 1 day in advance. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate.

COOKS' NOTE

This sauce is made in the Apennines east of Rome for the local Festa on 15th August. The cheese used in the traditional recipe is Pecorino, which has the right piquancy to match the flavor of the chili. If you cannot find Pecorino Romano, you can use Parmesan. The pancetta should be unsmoked.