The Roman love for pasta is well known and thanks to famous people like the beautiful Gina Lollobrigida who was born in Subiaco in Rome, very well advertised. Spaghetti all’ Amatriciana is a sumptious and delicious pasta dish – perfect for the colder days and certainly one of those classics that everyone should be able to make because the ingredients are commonly found in most larders or refrigerators. Chillies are often used in Italian cooking instead of  pepper and it’s a good idea to keep some fresh chillies in your kitchen – it’s much healthier than pepper, after all. 

Ingredients

• 350 g fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 100 g lean bacon or pancetta
• 1 chili
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• 400 g spaghetti
• 60g – 100 g pecorino or parmigiano, grated

Method

• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the bacon or pancetta well for about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and the chili and sauté for another 10 – 15 minutes, stirring every now and then.
• Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water until just al dente, and drain.
• Put the pasta in a warmed dish, pour over the sauce, toss and serve with cheese and a good Valpolicella.