Bucatini all’Amatriciana
After months of promising this recipe for bucatini all’amatriciana it is finally here. Guanciale (pork cheek) is not common in the US, which means you must replace it with the closest item, that item is pancetta. Pancetta in a block is also hard to locate but at least we have one Italian market and deli in town. Finding the pancetta was the simple part
I would eventually go on a three month endeavor to find bucatini pasta. Bucatini is a No. 12 pasta that resembles spaghetti but has a elongated hole running complete through it. World Market is renovating their stores and recently stocked it with bucatini. I purchased five packages I was so excited!
Bucatini all”Amatriciana is a dish that made it popular in Rome. The pasta is named after the tiny town of Amatrice. Shepherds love this meal to warm up from the chilly mountain air.
I just love any excuse to have fresh basil in the house as the aroma is delightful! If anyone is interested, I can add the recipe of how to make your own peeled tomatoes to replace the canned tomatoes within this recipe. Canned can be bought but are sometimes hard to locate.

Bucatini all’Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic; minced
- 6 oz guanciale or pancetta, cubed (must be thick)
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- half of onion finely chopped (red or white)
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chili pepper (or crushed red pepper)
- ¼ cup of dry white wine
- 2 cans of peeled tomatoes; 28 oz each (if you cannot find canned you can make your own)
- 1 package Bucatini pasta
- 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh basil (optional; for serving)
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, one tablespoon olive oil, and salt. Bring to a boil and cook pasta until done while cooking the sauce.
- In a pot or saute skillet, add onions, pancetta (guanciale), garlic, and two tablespoons olive oil and tad of salt; cook on medium heat for three to five minutes. Add in dried red chili pepper and saute for about a minute. Drain just the top juice of the cans, not all, as you want the sauce to be a bit thick rather than runny. Add peeled tomatoes and the white wine. Break up the tomatoes while cooking. Cook for about ten minutes reducing the tomato juice off. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain pasta reserving some of the pasta water; add sauce to pasta. Toss and plate. Top with freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese and garnish with basil.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 1292mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 10g
For more on our nutrition disclaimer https://mooshujenne.com/nutrition-disclaimer/
This looks fantastic! I’ve never had this dish before either 🙂 Thanks for sharing on my Snippets of Inspiration FaceBook wall today!
Thank you! I hope you get a chance to try it. It truly is one of my most favorite recipes.
Yes! You can view it here. I found it but in 5 pound quantities for $40+. Not economical when you only need 8 ounces.
Hi!
I never shop Target. I guess I need to! I could not find guanciale in my area at all. I was so disappointed. I should harass our Italian deli to ship some in. Did you make the Bucatini all’Amatriciana?
Hi Jenne, I fould you through Kait of I Can Cook That. You caught my attention because I profiled Michael Chiarello’s Bucatini all’Amatriciana earlier this year. I also could not find guanciale at a reasonable price, but I was surprised to find bucatini at Target.
My family is Italian and none of them knew what either was. Seems it depends on region. In Florence they use the same sauce but on a different pasta 🙂
Hi there!
Kroger carries Perciatelli…same thing as Bucatini.
Only Sicilians say Bucatini..everyone else says Perciatelli.
Looks Delicious!