Bucatini All'Amatriciana

Ingredients

• 16 ounces bucatini pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 pound guanciale (cured pork cheek), in 1-inch slivers 1/4-inch thick¹
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 32 oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

1. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add onion and garlic, and sauté over medium heat until transparent. Add guanciale and sauté until barely beginning to brown.

2. Add tomatoes. Cook about 15 minutes, until sauce has become somewhat concentrated and homogenized. Season with chili and salt and stir in 1 tablespoon cheese. Remove from heat.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add bucatini and cook until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain and transfer to skillet. Gently reheat contents of skillet, folding pasta and tomato sauce together until they are heated through and pasta is well-coated, about 5 minutes. Fold in remaining cheese. Check seasoning and serve with more cheese on the side.

Footnotes