AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

Amatriciana Sauce is a traditional sauce that is usually served over any pasta cooked “al dente”, but is most often served with bucatini. It has a really unique and delicious flavor.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

pork jowl meat                          3 ounces

tomatoes (ripe red firm)              1 pound

garlic (fresh slightly crushed)      1 clove

red hot pepper (peperoncino)      ½ of one

basil (fresh)                               1 small bunch

olive oil (extra-virgin)                2 tablespoons 

salt                                           to taste

pepper (freshly ground)              to taste

How to do it:

Cut the pork jowl meat into ½ inch cubes.

Fill a large pot ¾ full with water and bring to a rapid boil.

Gently lower the tomatoes into the boiling water and leave for 2 minutes.

Remove the tomatoes from the water and peel immediately.

Cut the tomato into quarters, remove the seeds and coarsely chop.

Put the olive oil in a frying pan and heat it to very hot over medium-high heat.

Sautee the hot red pepper and the garlic until golden brown.

Add the jowl meat and stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is lightly golden in color.

Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and continue to cook for about another 20 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally.

At the end of the cooking time add the washed and chopped basil.

Serve over hot pasta.

Note:

If you don't have the time or inclination to blanche fresh tomatoes (and they really should be Italian plum tomatoes), canned plum tomatoes really are completely acceptable. The taste will be just slightly different but excellent just the same (and probably just as authentic).