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Francesca Forcella’s Amatriciana Recipe

Ingredients (4 servings):

  • 450 grams/1 box of desired pasta type (I used Pennoni in the photo, but I have made it many times with spaghetti, as well! If you are gluten free, I am sure the sauce would taste great over gluten-free pasta, too!!)
  • 1- 8 oz. pack of bacon, unsweetened and with as little fat as possible
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • Choice of 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped OR 1 square piece of sweet green pepper, about 2”x 2”
  • 1- 28 oz. can of Cento San Marzano peeled tomatoes
  • 1 carton of Pomi strained tomatoes (26 oz.)
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • Salt for pasta water
  • Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving

Directions:

  • Start by cutting the bacon into 1/2” pieces with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.  Place the cut bacon into a high-sided sauté pan or wide-based sauce pan on MEDIUM HIGH heat.  Allow bacon to cook to desired doneness (I like it almost crispy); though, it will continue to cook in the sauce.
  • Turn down the heat to MEDIUM, and add the diced onion and carrot/pepper to the pan, allowing them to cook for about 2 minutes in the natural oil the bacon has created while cooking.
  • When the onions are almost translucent, add the wine to really open up their flavor. Now, add the peeled tomatoes breaking them up through your fingers or using your stirring spoon to break them up well.  Then, add the strained tomatoes.  Cover, and allow the sauce to come to a boil, but be careful not to burn the bottom, and give it a stir if needed. 
  • Once a slight boil is reached, put the flame to low, leave uncovered, and stir periodically for about 1 hour. 
  • When done, if you used the pepper instead of the carrot, you can scoop it out and discard it.  **I usually do not add any salt to the sauce because the bacon and grated cheese makes it salty enough for me, but if so desired, you can add salt to taste.**
  • In the last 20 minutes or so of your sauce cooking, place a large pot of water to boil.  Once it has reached a rolling boil, add 3 quarter-sized palm fulls of salt to the water, and add the pasta.  Allow to cook al dente, specific to your chosen pasta. 
  • Strain the pasta and put it back in the pot.  Pour the amatriciana sauce over the cooked pasta to your desired consistency.  (You may have some extra sauce left over for another time.) When serving, top with the grated cheese, and BUON APPETITO!!! 

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