This year, The Camellia’s festival in the Compitese area, South of Lucca, was postponed to May because of Covid’s lockdown: We pay a quick visit to the area before they open to see if any camellias are still in flower.
At home, we cook Spaghetti all’amatriciana.
Amatriciana is a classic Italian sauce. Pasta all’Amatriciana can be ordered in any traditional trattoria in Rome but it originated in Amatrice, a town in the mountains between Rome and the Adriatic Sea. There is a canonical version, we are following, but many variations due to individual taste and family traditions. It is one of those dishes that cause national arguments.
Ingredients (Serves 2 generously)
250 grams/ 9 oz spaghetti or spaghettoni (big spaghetti)
1 tbsp EV olive oil
75 gr / 2 ½ oz of Guanciale (Cured Pork cheek) or Pancetta (Italian cured bacon)
60 gr/2 oz Pecorino Romano to grate
1 small glass (about ¼ of a cup) of dry white wine
1 chilli fresh or dry
400 gr/ 14 oz tin of chopped tomatoes
In a saucepan put the water to boil to cook the pasta and add salt (depends how you like it but a rough ratio is 10 gr per litre or 1 tbsp for 6 cups of water)
Dice the guanciale and put it and a chilli in a frying pan where you have poured a tbsp of EV Olive oil.
On a low heat allow the guanciale to release its fat, then sizzle until nicely toasted.
Pour the white wine (It will stop the guanciale to overcook and get dry) and cook for a couple of minutes to allow part of the liquid to evaporate.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on a low to medium heat for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked. Season a couple of minutes before they’re cooked.
In the meantime cook the spaghetti (undercook them by 1 minute), drain them and toss them in the frying pan where you cooked the tomato sauce.
Serve hot and sprinkle them generously with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.