Bucatini is a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center, also known as perciatelli. The name comes from the Italian word, buco, which means hole, while bucato means pierced.
Bucatini is common throughout Lazio, particularly Rome. It is a tubed pasta made of wheat flour and water with strong durum. Its length is 25–30 cm (10″–12″) with a diameter of 3 mm (1/8″). The average time taken to cook is nine minutes.
It is served in Italian cuisine with buttery sauces, pancetta or guanciale, vegetables, cheese, eggs, and sardines or anchovies. Up next we’ve got a super simple Bucatini recipe that is easy to make and also delicious.
Easy Bucatini all’Amatriciana
Make classic Bucatini all’Amatriciana with this simple recipe, and in less than half an hour you’ll have dinner on the table! A simple combination of tender bucatini noodles, spicy tomato sauce, pancetta and a Pecorino cheese, it’s likely to become one of your favorite busy day meals.
Although this dish originated in Amatrice, where it was made from spaghetti noodles, it is now famous throughout Italy. The use of bucatini pasta began in Rome and is now the most common choice of pasta.
Initially, Amatriciana sauce was made with guanciale (cured pork cheek or pork jowl), which can be hard to find in the United States. Pancetta is the perfect replacement.
Bucatini all’Amatriciana Recipe
When you see the short list of ingredients and simple instructions, don’t be alarmed, thinking that something so easy can not be scrumptious. I promise it will be. I predict it will actually become a go-to pasta dish.
The next day, if you happen to have leftovers, this is perfect. At night, the pasta will soak in the sauce so you’ll want to add a little water when you heat it up. I like adding a little bit of olive oil, salt, and chili too.
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion sliced into thin slivers
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes or more
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound dry bucatini pasta
- 2 ounces Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, grated
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
Instructions
Step 1 – Cook and stir pancetta until brown in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove pancetta from oil, and transfer it to a paper towel. Pour off most or all of the skillet fat, so there’s no need to wash the skillet.
Step 2 – Return skillet over medium heat to stove; add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until onions are translucent. Add red chili flakes, and pancetta and mix. Press down on the onions to crush them slightly. Simmer for 15 minutes, stir occasionally and cook until sauce has thickened.
Step 3 – In the meantime, bring to boil a big pot of salted water. Cook bucatini as directed by package and drain, reserve 1 cup of liquid for cooking.
Step 4 – Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, mix until thoroughly combined and heated, add some of the reserved cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle on top with grated Pecorino and parsley. Serve warm.
Conclusion
Bucatini all’ Amatriciana is a rustic Italian dish with tons of yummy flavor. And what’s even better is that you can make it any day of the week. Add a fresh salad as a side and you’ve got a delicious meal.
