Amatriciana

Ingredients

• 3 pieces guanciale, cut into lardons
• 1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano (Locatelli)
• 1 1/2 small cans Mutti San Marzano tomatoes
• 12 oz. dried rigatoni (imported Italian)
• sea salt (for pasta water)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season it generously with sea salt — it should taste like the sea.

2. 2

   This is your only chance to properly season the pasta itself, so don’t hold back.

3. 3

   In a wide pan, add the guanciale to a cold surface and place it over medium heat.

4. 4

   Let it render slowly, allowing the fat to melt out gradually while the meat turns deeply golden and crisp.

5. 5

   This step sets the foundation of the entire dish — you’re not just cooking the guanciale, you’re building the flavor of the sauce.

6. 6

   Once crisp, leave it in the pan along with the rendered fat.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes until smooth.

8. 8

   You’re looking for a light, cohesive texture — not too thick, not overly broken — something that will cling to the pasta without weighing it down.

9. 9

   Drop the rigatoni into the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente.

10. 10

    The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce, absorbing everything you’ve built in the pan.

11. 11

    Pour the blended tomatoes into the rendered guanciale and let it simmer briefly.

12. 12

    Just a few minutes is enough — this isn’t about reducing into a heavy sauce, but rather allowing the tomatoes to marry with the pork fat.

13. 13

    Taste, but be mindful: the guanciale and pecorino will bring plenty of salt.

14. 14

    Using a spider or tongs, transfer the pasta directly into the sauce along with a splash of pasta water.

15. 15

    Toss vigorously over medium heat until the sauce begins to coat each piece of rigatoni, glossy and unified.

16. 16

    Turn off the heat completely before adding the pecorino. This is crucial.

17. 17

    Add the cheese gradually, tossing continuously, allowing it to melt gently into the sauce.

18. 18

    The residual heat and the starch from the pasta water will create a silky, emulsified finish — never clumpy, never heavy.

19. 19

    Finish with the crisp guanciale and serve immediately, while the sauce is at its peak — smooth, glossy, and deeply savory.