AMATRICIANA WITH SPAGHETTI

Amatriciana is a first dish typical of Roman cuisine. It is so delicious and an easy dish to make, it takes just 15 minutes. It is so good that you can’t stop leaking the fork when you are done eating. Knowing that it is being more and more difficult to find on the market the seasoned pork cheek, I propose that you  substitute it with smoked bacon.

Seasoned pork cheek or smoked bacon always have a very balanced, sweeter and delicate taste. They tend to go really well with the sour taste of the tomato pest. I also like the smell of the meat when toasted with the onion, ginger and garlic. I have to tell you to not use a lot of oil, because the fat from the pork cheek will melt and it is enough to flavor the sauce.

Ingredients

• 1/2 red onion chopped finely
• 1 fresh garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 dried or fresh chilly pepper diced
•  100g/ 2 cups seasoned pork cheek (remove the tough rind and cut into thin slices and then into strips with a thickness of about 0.5 cm or cubes)
• A splash of white wine
• 400g/2 cups tomato sauce
• olive oil

For pasta

• 400gram spaghetti
• salted cooking water

Garnish

• Grated peconrino cheese
• Basil leaves

Yield :3 – 4 servings

Procedure

1. Let’s start by boiling salted water for the pasta
2. In a large non stick pan in medium heat cook onion, ginger and garlic, with oil, till soft and transparent
3. Then add the pork cheek, the chilly pepper and cook till the fat is transparent about 5 minutes not more
4. Then raise the heat and add the white win, when the alcohol has evaporated in like 10 seconds lower the heat. Stir well and pour it out in a bowl and let it rest
5. By now the water must be boiling, so add the pasta and cook al dente(cooked just enough to retain a somewhat firm texture)
6. Then in the same pan cook the tomato paste till dense about 10 minutes add the cooked pork cheek back to the pan taste the seasoning
7. Take out the cooked pasta (useful tip: If you are not going to use the pasta right after it is cooked spill a little bit of oil mix so that it will not stick together )
8. Add the cooked pasta, mix well so that it flavors after 5 seconds serve on a plate with pecorino cheese and basil. ENJOY.