Penne Alla Amatriciana

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Penne Alla Amatriciana, with its classic pasta cooking, captures a major part of Italian gastronomic legacy. Coming from Amatrice in the Lazio area, this dish has become a staple of Italian cuisine thanks to its strong tastes and simple but satisfying ingredients. The dish’s beginnings are in the late 18th century, when shepherds made a simple pasta sauce with tomatoes, pecorino cheese, and guanciale—cured pork cheek. Penne pasta, guanciale, tomatoes, pecorino Romano cheese, red chili flakes, olive oil—the basic ingredients.

Sautéing the guanciale until it gets a crispy texture, adding chili flakes to improve the heat of the oil, simmering the tomatoes, and lastly mixing them with the sauce constitute preparation. Then the cooked penne are mixed with the sauce and finished with grated Pecorino Romano.

Beyond its reputation as only a pasta dish, Penne Alla Amatriciana is a major component of Italian culinary history. A major earthquake struck Amatrice in 2016, thus restaurants and chefs all around started making this meal as a show of solidarity. Among the several options you should take into account are replacing bucatini or spaghetti in place of penne, adding onions or garlic to improve taste, substituting pancetta or bacon for guanciale, or including white wine into the sauce.

Penne Alla Amatriciana
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Penne Alla Amatriciana

Recipe by Travel S HelperCourse: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Calories

480

kcal

Penne Alla Amatriciana takes its name from a small town in the foothills of the Apennines, where shepherds first combined cured pork jowl and summer tomatoes to sustain themselves between flocks. In this rendition, al dente penne becomes the vessel for a sauce both austere and resonant: diced guanciale rendered until edges crisp in a pool of olive oil; a single red chili releasing a subtle warmth; and San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand, their flesh bright and slightly sweet against the salty fat. Once the pasta has finished its brief swim in heavily salted water, it is lifted directly into the pan, where a ladle of starchy cooking liquid binds sauce to tube. The strands of steam rising from the pan carry the promise of pecorino’s sharp tang, folded in just before serving. Each portion is finished with a scattering of cheese and a few turns of black pepper, the heat coaxing a fine, crumbly snow over the glistening tubes. A glass of robust red wine, perhaps a local Montepulciano, completes an encounter with centuries of Italian farmhouse tradition.

Ingredients

  • 400 g (14 oz) penne pasta

  • 150 g (5 oz) guanciale (or pancetta), diced

  • 400 g (14 oz) canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

  • 50 g (2 oz) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 small red chili (optional), finely chopped

  • Salt for pasta water

  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

  • Cook the Pasta - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
  • Prepare the Guanciale - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced guanciale and cook until crispy and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Remove guanciale with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
  • Make the Sauce - In the same skillet, add the optional chili (if using) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stirring to combine. Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Season with black pepper to taste.
  • Combine Pasta and Sauce - Return the cooked guanciale to the skillet. Add the drained penne to the sauce and toss to coat. If needed, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and ensure it clings to the pasta.
  • Serve and Garnish - Divide the pasta among plates and sprinkle generously with Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Guanciale Substitution - While guanciale is traditional, pancetta or even unsmoked bacon can be used in a pinch. However, the unique flavor of guanciale elevates the dish.
  • Tomatoes - San Marzano tomatoes are recommended for their sweet and tangy flavor. Use whole canned tomatoes and crush them by hand for the best texture.
  • Pasta - While penne is a popular choice, bucatini or spaghetti are also traditional variations.
  • Cheese - Pecorino Romano is key for its sharp, salty flavor. Avoid using Parmesan as it lacks the same depth.
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