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Pasta alla Amatriciana
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We’ve covered three of the four pastas of Rome – and here is the final dish – Pasta alla Amatriciana
What are the Four Pastas of Rome?
The four pastas of Rome are cacio e pepe, gricia, carbonara and amatriciana. They are all made using the same technique of vigorous mixing to form a sauce with the cheese and pasta water. It take practice.
My first try the cheese all clumped up and didn’t melt into the sauce. I thought perhaps I had the pasta and water too hot – and the cheese not grated down enough. So I tried again, letting everything cool a little and grinding the cheeses up in the food processor. The finely ground cheese just melted into the pasta and came out amazing!
The foundation of the four is cacio e pepe – literally means cheese and pepper. The ancient shepherds carried with them cacio cheese, dried spaghetti and pepper. With these megar ingredients, they could whip up a delicious, satisfying meal in the fields.
This past is typically made with spaghetti or bucatini and tossed, vigorously, with pecorino romano and parmesan reggiano cheeses, some fresh ground black pepper and a little pasta water. Sound easy? Well – success is in the technique. For more information and the recipe, click here[1].
The next pasta on the list – pasta alla gricia. This one is almost exactly like cacio e pepe, with the addition of guanciale. Guanciale is a cured pork jowl (or cheek), similar to bacon but saltier. It’s origins go back to ancient Roman times.
[3]
click on picture to go and purchase from Amazon
This pork is diced, then cooked until the fat is rendered.
I couldn’t find any information on the traditional type of pasta. It looks like it all depends on what you have on hand! Click here[2] for the recipe.
Pasta Carbonara, probably the most well known of the four. The sauce on this one is sort of a combination of the cacio e pepe and the gricia with some egg added to the mix. It’s usually on spaghetti, but I’ve seen it on penne and rigatoni too. I used pappardelle.
It’s origins aren’t as easy to follow as the ancient two. There is speculation that it was inspired by a pasta from Naples – cacio e uova, meaning cheese and eggs. Click here[4] for more information and the recipe.
Pasta alla Amatriciana –
And the last of the four, Pasta alla Amatriciana. Just a few ingredients – pecorino romano cheese, tomatoes, guanciale, and some red chili flakes. This pasta is typically on rigatoni and has a rich, creamy, tomatoey sauce.
This peasant sauce is said to have been passed down generations from father to son. Since we know tomato sauce came around in the late 1600s, we know it was soon after that. This delicious sauce was born in the town of Amatrice. It is believed this recipe was passed down orally from father to son. The first written record of this sauce was in 1816 when it was served at the court of the Pope.
All of these pastas are really about the sauce. You can serve them using any pasta you have on hand or the pasta you like the best (I love orecchiette). Once you get the hang of the stirring up the sauce, you’ll make all of these again and again.
The Saucing Technique (Practice makes perfect)
This is the most important part of the pasta. If it isn’t done right, you’ll have clumps of melted cheese instead of a creamy sauce. Not quite as bad as clumps is tiny grated chunks that don’t melt. The goal is a cream sauce.
Cook the pasta in a large, tall pot. When it is slightly al dente (just slightly done), drain it, but be sure to save one cup of the pasta water. There is flavor and starch in it that will really help to create a creamy sauce.
Put the pasta back in the pot and let it cool slightly. Add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water and stir briskly.
Add just a splash of cold water to finely grated romano and parmesan cheese with fresh cracked pepper.
Stir it with a fork to make a paste.
Drop the paste on top of the pasta,
then stir fast and hard for about 3 to 4 minutes. The harder and faster the better – almost like whisking with a spoon. Add a more pasta water, a little at a time, if the sauce is too thick.
When everything is well blended into a creamy sauce, serve it immediately!
Making the Pasta alla Amatriciana
This dish is a little different than the other three. It has a delicious tomato base with all the delicious cheese. You can use any kind of pasta, but I used rigatoni.
This pasta is prepared a little different than all the other. It includes tomatoes and some crushed pepper, giving it a little zip!
Cook the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the water when it’s drained.
While it’s cooking, cook the guanciale in a dutch oven until most of the fat is rendered.
Add the crushed tomatoes, chili flakes and fresh cracked pepper, about 10 turns.
Stir and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the pasta to the pot with just a splash of the pasta water.
Next add the cheese and stir vigorously for two to three minutes,
until it’s melted and blended with the rest of the sauce.
A delicious traditional pasta with tomatoes, cheese and some chili flakes for a little zip!
Course:
Main Course, main dish, Pasta, Side Dish
Cuisine:
Italian, Roman
Keyword:
bell pepper, chili flakes, fire roasted tomatoes, guanciale, pancetta, parmesan regiano, romano, Rome
Servings: 4servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
8oz.dry pasta
8ozguanciale or pancetta
128ozcan crushed tomatoes
1/4teaspoondried chili flakes
10 - 12turnscracked black pepper
1-1/2ozparmesan reggiano
1/2ozpecorino romano
more parm for garnish
Instructions
Cook the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the water when it's drained.
While it's cooking, cook the guanciale in a dutch oven until most of the fat is rendered.
Add the crushed tomatoes, chili flakes and fresh cracked pepper, about 10 turns.
Stir and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the pasta to the pot with just a splash of the pasta water.
Next add the cheese and stir vigorously for two to three minutes, until it's melted and blended with the rest of the sauce. Add a little more pasta water if it's too dry.
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Pasta alla Gricia – the second pasta of Rome
Last week we started on a tour of the four pastas of Rome. The first one, cacio e pepe, is the foundation of the four, so that’s where we started.
This week we’ll talk a little about the second – pasta alla gricia.
What are the Four Pastas of Rome?
A little refresher, the four pastas of Rome are cacio e pepe, gricia, carbonara and amatriciana. They are all made using the same technique of vigorous mixing to form a sauce with the cheese and pasta water. It take practice.
My first try the cheese all clumped up and didn’t melt into the sauce. I thought perhaps I had the pasta and water too hot – and the cheese not grated down enough. So I tried again, letting everything cool a little and grinding the cheeses up in the food processor. The finely ground cheese just melted into the pasta and came out amazing!
The foundation of the four is cacio e pepe – literally means cheese and pepper. The ancient shepherds carried with them cacio cheese, dried spaghetti and pepper. With these megar ingredients, they could whip up a delicious, satisfying meal in the fields. Click here[1] for the recipe.
Typically made with spaghetti or bucatini, the pasta is tossed, vigorously, with pecorino romano and parmesan reggiano cheeses, some fresh ground black pepper and a little pasta water. Sound easy? Well – success is in the technique.
Pasta alla Gricia –
The next pasta on the list – pasta alla gricia. This one is almost exactly like cacio e pepe, with the addition of guanciale. A cured pork jowl (or cheek), similar to bacon but saltier. It’s origins go back to ancient Roman times. This recipe uses diced pancetta. The flavors are similar.
The pork is rendered and tossed with the pasta.
Pasta Carbonara –
Pasta Carbonara, probably the most well known of the four. This one uses guanciale, the cheeses and egg. It’s the egg that makes it. It’s name means coal miner’s wife – but that’s a discussion for the next post. Click here[4] to check it out.
And the last of the four, Pasta alla Amatriciana. Just a few ingredients – pecorino romano cheese, tomatoes, guanciale, and some red chili flakes. This pasta is typically on rigatoni and has a rich, creamy, tomatoey sauce.
All of these pastas are really about the sauce. You can serve them using any pasta you have on hand or the pasta you like the best (I love orecchiette). Once you get the hang of the stirring up the sauce, you’ll make all of these again and again.
The Saucing Technique (Practice makes perfect)
This is the most important part of the pasta. If it isn’t done right, you’ll have clumps of melted cheese instead of a creamy sauce. Not quite as bad as clumps is tiny grated chunks that don’t melt. The goal is a cream sauce.
Cook the pasta in a large, tall pot. When it is slightly al dente (just slightly done), drain it, but be sure to save one cup of the pasta water. There is flavor and starch in it that will really help to create a creamy sauce.
Put the pasta back in the pot and let it cool slightly. Add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water and stir briskly.
Add just a splash of cold water to finely grated (I ground it up in the food processor) romano and parmesan cheese with fresh cracked pepper.
Stir it with a fork to make a paste.
Drop the paste on top of the pasta,
then stir fast and hard for about 3 to 4 minutes. The harder and faster the better – almost like whisking with a spoon. Add a more pasta water, a little at a time, if the sauce is too thick.
When everything is well blended into a creamy sauce, serve it immediately!
Making the Pasta alla Gricia
First thing you’ll do is render the fat from the guanciale or pancetta in a large skillet or pot. While it’s rendering, cook the pasta.
When the pasta is just al dente, drain, saving out 1 cup of the pasta water.
Put the pasta in the pot with the meat and rendered fat.
Toss it all together mixing it well.
Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the cheese, and stir vigorously! Keep stirring until the cheese and water meld together into a creamy sauce. Add a little more water if it’s too dry.
A creamy, cheesy pasta with a little salty cured pork. Easy and delicious.
Course:
Main Course, main dish, Side Dish
Cuisine:
Italian, Roman
Keyword:
black pepper, guanciale, pancetta, parmesan, pasta, romano
Servings: 4servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
8ozdry pasta
5ozguanciale (or pancetta)
1ozparmesan reggiano
1-1/2ozpecorino romano
fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
First thing you'll do is render the fat from the guanciale or pancetta in a large skillet or pot. While it's rendering, cook the pasta.
When the pasta is just al dente, drain, saving out 1 cup of the pasta water.
Put the pasta in the pot with the meat and rendered fat.
Toss it all together mixing it well.
Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the cheese, and stir vigorously! Keep stirring until the cheese and water meld together into a creamy sauce. Add a little more water if it's too dry. (See notes)
Serve hot with some fresh grated parmesan.
Recipe Notes
The stirring technique is the most important part of the pasta. If it isn't done right, you'll have clumps of melted cheese instead of a creamy sauce. Not quite as bad as clumps is tiny grated chunks that don't melt. The goal is a creamy sauce.
Cook the pasta in a large, tall pot. When it is slightly al dente (just slightly done), drain it, but be sure to save one cup of the pasta water. There is flavor and starch in it that will really help to create a creamy sauce.
Put the pasta back in the pot and let it cool slightly. Add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water and stir briskly.
Add just a splash of cold water to finely grated (I ground it up in the food processor) romano and parmesan cheese with plenty of fresh cracked pepper. Stir it with a fork to make a paste.
Drop the paste on top of the pasta, then stir fast and hard for about 3 to 4 minutes. The harder and faster the better - almost like whisking with a spoon. Add a more pasta water, a little at a time, if the sauce is too thick.
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This delicious meal is very similar to alfredo[12], but the sauce is more like a gravy. The mushroom sauce is rich and flavorful. All the pan drippings from both the mushrooms and the Italian sausage goes into the rich, flavorful sauce. Just add salad and it’s a meal!
Making the Mushroom Pasta
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet and add the mushrooms and rosemary. I like to use a crimini mushroom.
Cook on medium-high heat until the mushrooms are browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Discard the rosemary. (This is where I steal a mushroom taste!)
Cook the sausage in the same pan as the mushrooms until they are cooked through. Place in the oven on low to keep warm.
Pour the broth into the same pan to deglaze and bring to a simmer. Stir in half of the parmesan and garlic granules and continue to simmer until it is all blended together.
Add the paprika and lemon pepper to the cooked pasta and mix.
Stir the mushroom –
and pasta into the pan with the broth.
Mix well.
Mix in the remaining parmesan, the half and half and the sour cream. Gently simmer until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through.
A simple meal that blends all the flavors of Italian sausage and mushrooms in a rich gravy.
Course:
Main Course, main dish
Cuisine:
American, Italian, pasta
Keyword:
cream, fettuccini, italian sausage, mushrooms, pasta, rosemary, sausage
Servings: 4servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
2 cupssliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
1Tablespoonolive oil
3sprigsfresh rosemary
6 to 8wholeItalian Sausage links (sweet or spicy - your preference)
1/2cupbeef broth
1/4cupfresh grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
1teaspoongarlic granules
3cupscooked fettuccini noodles
2teaspoonssmoked paprika
2teaspoonslemon pepper
1/4cup half and half
1/8cupsour cream
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet and add the mushrooms and rosemary. Cook on medium-high heat until the mushrooms are browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Discard the rosemary.
Cook the sausage in the same pan as the mushrooms until they are cooked through. Place in the oven on low to keep warm.
Pour the broth into the same pan to deglaze and bring to a simmer. Stir in half of the parmesan and garlic granules and continue to simmer until it is all blended together
Add the paprika and lemon pepper to the cooked pasta and mix.
Stir the pasta and mushrooms into the pan with the broth. Mix well.
Mix in the remaining parmesan, the half and half and the sour cream. Gently simmer until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through.
Serve with additional parmesan as a garnish and the sausage on the side.
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My garden is finally finished. I wanted to use the few tomatoes we had left, and my neighbor gave me some beautiful peppers. We love Italian sausage sandwiches, but that just didn’t sound that good – but I also love pasta! And this is what we had for dinner!
Farm to table, or in this case, garden[17] to table, offers deliciously fresh food that is seasonally available. Here’s one for that end of summer garden.
Here’s How to Do it:
Prep the vegetables. Slice the bell peppers, chop the onions and cut the tomatoes into large chunks. Get the pasta started cooking.
Heat a heavy skillet and brown the sausage.
Add the peppers, garlic and onions and simmer until they are starting to soften.
Next, add tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes.
Remove the cover and simmer on high for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is evaporated.
Fresh peppers and tomatoes mixed with Italian sausage on top of delicious pasta. Perfect meal!
Course:
lunch, Main Course, main dish
Cuisine:
farm to table, Italian
Keyword:
bell peppers, garlic, italian sausage, mozzerella, pasta, tomatoes
Servings: 4servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
3/4poundbulk Italian sausage
1wholered bell pepper
1wholegreen bell pepper
1largeonion
2largetomatoes (or three medium)
2 to 3largecloves of garlic, crushed
1/2cupwater(from the pasta is best)
1 to 1-1/2cupsshredded mozzarella cheese
2 to 3cupscooked pasta (I used gemelli)
salt and lemon pepper to taste
Instructions
Prep the vegetables. Slice the bell peppers, chop the onions and cut the tomatoes into large chunks. Get the pasta started cooking.
Heat a heavy skillet and brown the sausage.
Add the peppers, garlic and onions and simmer until they are starting to soften.
Next, add tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes.
Remove the cover and simmer on high for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is evaporated.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Serve over pasta topped with shredded mozzarella.
Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!
Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
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It’s National Noodle Month – A whole month dedicated to my favorite food. Pasta!
Did you know the consumption of noodles increases by 20% in the colder months? Yep, it does. And by Federal Law all noodles must contain 5.5% of egg solids to hold the title of Noodle.
There are so many things you can do with noodles – So in honor of this delicious and versatile ingredient, every Thursday in the month of March will be “Noodle Day”. Stop by and share your recipes for noodles. I know you have some!
Here’s one to get you started and it’s just in time for the Chinese New Year!