Spaghetti Amatriciana - quick, simple, and absolutely banging. We’re cooking down guanciale until it’s golden and crispy, then building a proper tomato sauce with garlic, chilli, and a splash of white wine. Toss in your pasta, finish with a heap of Pecorino, and that’s dinner done in 20 minutes. Easy!
Category
Dinner
Servings
1
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
15 minutes
Spaghetti Amatriciana - quick, simple, and absolutely banging. We’re cooking down guanciale until it’s golden and crispy, then building a proper tomato sauce with garlic, chilli, and a splash of white wine. Toss in your pasta, finish with a heap of Pecorino, and that’s dinner done in 20 minutes. Easy!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 75g guanciale, diced
-
pinch chilli flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 50ml dry white wine
- 400g can whole tomatoes
-
sea salt and pepper to season
- 150g spaghetti
- 30g Pecorino, grated
Directions
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium.
- Cook guanciale for 6-8 minutes, stirring, until fat renders and starts to brown.
- Stir in chilli flakes and garlic, cook for a further minute, then add wine and deglaze pan, scraping the fond from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes, for 5-6 minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reserve half of this sauce for later use. Either refrigerated or frozen in a small airtight container.
- Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to packet directions.
- Transfer pasta to the frying pan along with ¼ cup (60ml) of the cooking water and toss in the sauce until well coated.
- Stir in half the cheese, then serve sprinkled with remaining cheese.
Recipe notes
Do I have to use guanciale?
Traditionally, yes but pancetta is a decent sub if you can’t find guanciale. Bacon at a pinch, but it won’t have quite the same richness.
Can I skip the wine?
You can, but it adds depth. A splash of pasta water or a touch of vinegar can give a similar lift if you’re avoiding alcohol.
Why break up whole tomatoes instead of using crushed ones?
Whole tomatoes tend to be better quality, less watery and more flavour-packed. Crushing them yourself gives you better texture control too.
What pasta shape works best?
Spaghetti’s the classic, but bucatini’s the OG Roman choice like spaghetti with a hole through the middle. Holds the sauce like a dream.
