Summer Amatriciana Sauce
Serve this pancetta-spiked tomato sauce over 1 pound of cooked bucatini or perciatelli, with a sprinkling of freshly grated Pecorino Romano. Or if you're not in the mood for pasta, it's also good over seared pork chops or polenta, or as a topping for pizza.
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2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
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1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (to yield about 2 cups)
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Two 1/4-inch-thick slices pancetta, cut into short strips (1/4 inch wide and 1/2 inch long)
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1-1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
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1/8 tsp. cayenne
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1 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
In a 10- or 11-inch sauté pan, heat the oil and onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until the pancetta has begun to render its fat and the onion and pancetta are roughly the same muted shade of purple, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cayenne, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a lively but not too vigorous simmer, until the tomatoes have been reduced to a thick, pulpy sauce, 15 to 20 minutes.
To serve with pasta
While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of abundantly salted water to a vigorous boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain it well. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if needed. Toss the pasta with three-quarters of the sauce and divide among individual serving bowls. Spoon a little of the remaining sauce over each serving and sprinkle on the cheese, if you like.
nutrition information (per serving):
Size
:
based on five servings without pasta;
Calories
(kcal):
164;
Fat
(g):
13;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
118;
Saturated Fat
(g):
3;
Protein
(g):
5;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
4;
Carbohydrates
(g):
8;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
1;
Sodium
(mg):
655;
Cholesterol
(mg):
16;
Fiber
(g):
2;
Photo: Scott Phillips
