Natives of Amatrice, the town near Rome where this sauce comes from, are staunchly protective over this recipe. Indeed, they've been quick to condemn any creative digressions - the Town Council once declared the inclusion of garlic by respected Italian chef Carlo Cracco as a "lack of judgement" on his part. Traditionally, this sauce is made with smoked guanciale (pork cheek). At the risk of again dismaying the good people of Amatrice, though, we substitute pancetta, as this imparts a deeper, smokier flavour. These flavoursome morsels of pancetta are gently fried until crisp, then suspended in a vibrant tomato sauce. To amplify the amatriciana sauce's signature meaty flavour, we add both chicken and pork stock, while rosemary, bay leaf and red wine add depth, ensuring a moreish taste of Amatrice.
In some deference to tradition, we do serve with bucatini pasta, which is the traditional pairing for the amatriciana sauce. The word "bucatini" comes from the Italian word “buco”, which translates to “hole”, a reference to its hollow shape. And while long, tangled strands of bucatini prove deft at capturing the amatriciana sauce, the pasta’s unique shape was actually born out of practicality. Ancient pastai (pasta makers) who encountered difficulty when cooking dried pasta with consistency sought to invent a novel solution to their problem. The pastai settled on a new method, which saw dough rolled around a thin rod (known as a ‘ferretto’), to produce a long strand of hollow pasta. The resulting "buco" in the centre of each bucatino helped to prevent inconsistencies in cooking, but also distinguished this shape from others, securing its popularity in Italian - and particularly Roman - cuisine.
Note: Please consume or freeze our pasta and sauces within 2 days of delivery.
Please note: our photography is for illustrative purposes only & may not necessarily reflect the finished dish.
INGREDIENTS
Bucatini (165g):
Durum WHEAT Semola, WHEAT Flour, EGG, Rice Flour
Amatriciana Sauce (160g):
Tomatoes, Smoked Pancetta (Pork Belly, Salt, Dextrose, Spices, Aromatic Plants, Natural Flavourings, Smoke Flavourings, Antioxidant: E301, Preservatives: E250 E252), Onions, Carrots, Red Wine (SULPHITES), Olive Oil, Pork Stock (Contains CELERY), Chicken Stock (Contains CELERY), Garlic, Pepper, Sugar, Rosemary, Salt, Bay Leaf
Italian Grated Cheese (8g):
MILK, Salt, Rennet (Microbial Coagulant), EGG Lysozyme