Spaghetti with rancetto

Name: Spaghetti with rancetto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Spaghetti 14 oz; Peeled tomatoes 2 ½ cups; Pancetta tesa 5.5 oz; White onions 0.67 cup; Pecorino Romano PDO cheese to be grated 1.1 oz; Marjoram 1 sprig; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Today we present you a first course that at first glance might remind you of the original amatriciana, but it is typical of Umbrian cuisine: we're talking about spaghetti with rancetto! Bacon, tomato, Pecorino, and marjoram are the ingredients that characterize this sauce which is usually paired with umbricelli, a traditional type of fresh pasta similar to spaghetti. A recipe with peasant origins, therefore, that uses local products in a simple and incredibly tasty way. Try spaghetti with rancetto, and you'll understand why they are still so appreciated today!

INGREDIENTS: Spaghetti 14 oz (400 g); Peeled tomatoes 2 ½ cups (600 g); Pancetta tesa 5.5 oz (150 g); White onions 0.67 cup (100 g); Pecorino Romano PDO cheese 1.1 oz (30 g) - to be grated; Marjoram 1 sprig; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Spaghetti with rancetto

To prepare spaghetti with rancetto, first clean and finely chop the onion 1, then cut the bacon into cubes 2. Heat a pan and brown the bacon for 5 minutes 3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta.

When it is golden and crispy, set the bacon aside and leave the fat in the pan 4 where you'll sauté the onion over medium heat 5. Once golden, add the chopped peeled tomatoes 6 and cook for about 10 minutes with the lid on.

At this point, the water will have come to a boil, so cook the pasta 7. Towards the end of the sauce's cooking time, flavor with marjoram leaves and adjust with salt and pepper 8. Drain the spaghetti al dente directly into the sauce and mix to combine, adding a bit of the cooking water if needed 9.

Add part of the bacon 10 and mix again. Finally, remove the pan from the heat and mix in the grated Pecorino cheese 11. Serve the spaghetti with rancetto by adding the remaining bacon to the plate and a drizzle of raw olive oil, plus pepper and Pecorino to taste 12!