BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA

(Bucatini Amatriciana style)
First course

1/2 lb Bucatini
2 oz pancetta, diced
2 big ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tbsp pecorino romano, grated

Put a big pot (better taller than wider) with water to a boil.
In the meantime put a big non-stick skillet on high heat and saute the pancetta for about 2 minutes, than add wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
Add tomatoes, lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes.
When the water boils, add salt and pasta; cook for 8-10 minutes (depending on your taste but remember that "al dente" pasta is easier to digest than overcooked one).
Drain pasta and reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking water; toss the pasta in the skillet with the sauce and sautee for a couple minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved cooking water.
Serve drizzled with grated pecorino romano.
This recipe serves 2 people.

Substitutions, in case you don't find the original ingredients

- 6 slices of thick, non-smoked bacon; just remember that it is fatter than pancetta so try to remove part of the fat before cooking it and drain part of the cooking one.
- 1/2 can of peeled tomatoes (diced) or crushed tomatoes
- Grated parmesan can work.

Theoretically, in Italy every sauce has its pasta shape but, in case you don't like it or you can't find it, you can use any shape you like.
This recipe has been created in Amatrice (hence the name) a town not too far away from Rome and calls for Guanciale (salted pork cheek), unfortunately not easy to found so you can use pancetta (or bacon in our case) without big problems.