Clem's Rigatoni Amatriciana
If you already have pecorino romano cheese and guanciale from making spaghetti carbonara, you might like to make this Italian dish, a cousin of the carbonara. In Italian, the amatriciana means from Amatrice a mountain town in Central Italy. The name refers to the sauce used for the chosen pasta which may be spaghetti, bucatini (like spaghetti but with a void [hole] running length-wise), or as in my case tonight, rigatoni (short large pasta tubes with a ribbed surface - good for sauces sticking to it).
This dish is
simplicity itself (easier than carbonara). Here's how to
make it in a jiffy if all your ingredients are ready:
INGREDIENTS
(for one serve; quantities to taste or preference)
- 60 g
guanciale.
- 30 g
pecorino romano.
- 250 canned
peeled tomatoes
(or diced/chopped).
- Dried
chilli flakes or freshly ground black pepper
to taste.
Authentic amatriciana is mildly spicy but you choose your level of spiciness.
- Optional
(for additional taste dimension):
10 g parmigiano reggiano.
- 100 g
rigatoni.
METHOD
- Cut the
guanciale into small strips (remove the rind).
Guanciale cut into strips across the fat/meat bands after removing the rind
- Boil 100 g
of rigitoni to al dente (or your favoured degree of
doneness) in salted water.
- In a
saucepan big enough to mix and toss all the rigatoni (a
saucier is designed for this very purpose), gently fry
the cut guanciale from a cold start to brown/crisp it and
render its fat into oil.
When done, remove all the guanciale and set aside.
Leave the oil in the pan.
-
Microplane 30 g of pecorino romano and 10 g of
parmigiano reggiano.
- To the pan
used for the guanciale, add the peeled tomatoes and render it fine with an implement, then simmer for some 15
minutes until the sauce is thicker.
At this stage, do a test taste and add condiments to your preference.
(I added chicken stock powder).
Add dried chilli flakes or freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add most
of the fried guanciale (reserving some for
garnishing) and further mix.
- When the
rigotoni is nearly ready, remove from the boiling
water and add to the pan used for the sauce in the pan. Also
add a few tablespoons of the water used to boil the pasta
(for the starch contained within).
Mix the pasta and sauce and further cook until the rigatoni reaches your preferred level of doneness.
- Turn the
heat to the pan low and then add in the microplaned
pecorino romano and turn until the cheese is well
incorporated/melted with/into the pasta.
- Plate out;
garnish with the rest of the fried guanciale and
dress the pasta with microplaned pecorino romano and
parmigiano reggiano (optional).
Clem's Rigatoni Amatriciana
ENJOY!!
26 September
2026
Cooking by Clem:
https://clemkuek.com/photoalbum/photo696.html
Video presentations can be found here:
Earlier Days: https://youtu.be/BWyHY1h9Y5s
Recent Past: https://youtu.be/PL9wWSI_Dfw
More Recently: https://youtu.be/nk6O2tGJ5pk
Created by Clem Kuek
