Penne Amatriciana
A simple but classic pasta dish with a rich tomato sauce and a good chilli kick!
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
A splash of olive oil
250g pancetta or smoked bacon, thickly sliced
1 ½ red onions, finely chopped
2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 (2 if you like it hot) small dried chillies, finely chopped and crumbled
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
200ml red wine
2x400g tins of chopped tomatoes
300g penne pasta
2 handfuls of freshly grated parmesan cheese
(plus extra for serving)
Freshly ground salt & pepper
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pan or wok and fry the pancetta on a high heat for 4-5 minutes or until crisp. Add the onions and gently fry for about 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
2. Add the chilli, garlic and rosemary and stir for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the wine and turn up the heat so that the alcohol evaporates. Then add the chopped tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer uncovered for about 1 hour stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced to a very thick consistency.
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta as to packet instructions in salted water until al dente.
4. Stir in 2 handfuls of Parmesan into the sauce and cook for a further minute and season to taste. Drain the pasta and mix with the sauce. Serve on warm plates and scatter with Parmesan.
Cooks Tips
* Instead of rosemary you can use basil or oregano to change the taste.