Sugo all'amatriciana

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Sugo all'amatriciana or sugo alla matriciana is an Italian pasta sauce prepared with guanciale (or pancetta, where guanciale is unavailable) and tomatoes. The dish is named after the town of Amatrice in northern Lazio, where it was invented. Romans prefer to call it "alla Matriciana" due to Roman Italian's tendency to clip initial vowels.

It is thought to be derived from a dish named pasta alla gricia, made with pasta and a sauce made of guanciale and pieces of sausages sautéed with olive oil, seasoned with crushed red pepper, and served mixed with Pecorino Romano cheese. It is popular in all Central Italy but also identified with Rome. It was Amatrice where tomato was added to gricia and the sauce was formed.

There are many varieties of sugo all'amatriciana. In Amatrice, it is prepared without onions, which is not typical of standard recipes from outside the area. On the other hand, one may prefer to add garlic or white wine. However, everyone agrees that cream should be avoided.

Although people of Amatrice are proud to be inventors of spaghetti all'amatriciana, the preferred type of pasta for this sauce elsewhere in Italy is usually bucatini (though the recipe in Il cucchiaio d'argento does use spaghetti). It is mixed in a serving bowl with the pasta, and then Pecorino Romano is added and tossed thoroughly.

[edit] External links

• Ingredients and recipe in Italian
• Emeril Lagasse's recipe in English