Trattoria Brown - Bucatini all'Amatriciana

A family friend asked me to translate a few recipes from an Italian cookbook entitled "Sapori e profumi di Roma: ricette della cucina romana e ristoranti tipici." I thought others might be interested in these recipes, so here's the first: bucatini all'amatriciana.

Ingredients

500 grams bucatini pasta (can substitute spaghetti)

125 grams guanciale (cured meat made from pig cheek, can substitute bacon)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 splash of white wine

400 grams of peeled canned tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

100 grams of grated pecorino cheese

Salt to taste

Directions

Place in a cast iron pan (or a normal one is fine) olive oil, red pepper flakes, and the guanciale/bacon, which should be cut into pieces. Cooked over medium high heat until guanciale is cooked but not yet crispy. Add white wine, cook for one minute, then remove the guanciale/bacon from the pan and place on a plate. Crush the peeled tomatoes and add to the pan, along with salt to taste. Cook over medium low heat for approximately three minutes. Place back in the pot the guanciale/bacon and continue to cook.

Place pasta in at least one gallon of boiling salted water (add enough salt to make the water taste like a broth). Cook according to package instructions. When finished cooking, drain and place pasta in a bowl and add the pecorino cheese. Wait for a few moments to allow pecorino to begin to melt, then add the sauce. Stir and add more pecorino to taste.