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Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

Tomato, guanciale and pecorino. A bold sauce with mountain roots.

πŸ“ Amatrice, Lazio (Rome)⏱ 30 minEasyServes 2
Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

Origin story

Amatriciana comes from Amatrice, a town in the Lazio hills. Its older white version, gricia, used guanciale and pecorino. Tomato arrived later, in the 18th century, and the red sauce was born.

It's now a Roman favourite too. The sauce uses guanciale, pecorino romano, tomato, white wine and chilli. In Amatrice, spaghetti is traditional. Elsewhere, bucatini is common. Never add onion or garlic, purists say.

Myths, busted

It needs onion and garlic.
Traditional recipes skip both. The guanciale gives all the savouriness.
Bacon or pancetta works the same.
They're smoky or lean. Guanciale gives a unique silky fat and flavour.

The recipe

Servings:2

Ingredients

  • 200 g spaghetti
  • 100 g guanciale, cut into strips
  • 250 g peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 40 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
  • 1 small dried chili, or a pinch of flakes
  • 40 ml dry white wine (optional)
  • Salt, for the pasta water
  1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt it lightly, since the guanciale and Pecorino are salty.
  2. Cook the guanciale in a cold, dry pan over medium heat for 8 minutes, until golden and crisp outside. Add the chili for the last minute.
  3. Pour in the wine, if using, and let it bubble away. Lift out the guanciale and keep some fat in the pan.
  4. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until thick. Return the guanciale, and cook the spaghetti until 2 minutes short of done.
  5. Toss the spaghetti in the sauce with a splash of pasta water. Take it off the heat, add most of the Pecorino, and serve with the rest on top.

Tip: add the Pecorino off the heat so it melts into the sauce instead of clumping.

Regional variations

Bucatini all'Amatriciana
The hollow pasta is the Roman favourite.
Gricia
This is the white ancestor: no tomato.
With onion
Some Roman cooks add a little onion, though purists disagree.

Common mistakes

βœ— Burning the guanciale
Cook it on medium-low heat until the fat melts and it turns golden.
βœ— Using too much tomato
Use just enough to coat. The sauce should be bright and not soupy.
βœ— Skipping the wine
A splash of white wine adds acidity. Let it cook off fully.
βœ— Adding cheese too soon
Toss off the heat, with a little pasta water.

What to drink with it

🍷 Wine
Cesanese del Piglio, Lazio
Its soft red fruit and spice suit the tomato and cured pork.
πŸ₯€ Alcohol-free
Blood orange soda
Bittersweet fruit and fizz echo the tomato's brightness.

Shopping list Β· Spaghetti all'Amatriciana for 2

Pasta & pantry

  • 200 g spaghetti
  • Sea salt
  • 1 dried chilli (peperoncino)
  • 200 g canned peeled tomatoes
  • 50 ml dry white wine

Deli & cheese

  • 100 g guanciale
  • 40 g pecorino romano

Vegetarian

Classic amatriciana relies on guanciale, so it isn't vegetarian. Check the pecorino rennet too.

Guanciale β†’ smoked tofu or smoked aubergine
Fry in olive oil with a pinch of smoked paprika.

Gluten-free

Gluten-free pasta releases less starch, so save extra pasta water to build the sauce.

Wheat spaghetti β†’ gluten-free spaghetti
Choose a corn-and-rice blend and cook it a minute short of the pack time.

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Know your ingredients

GuancialePancettaPecorino RomanoSan Marzano tomatoesSpaghettiDried chili (peperoncino)