Spaghetti Amatriciana

Photo: flickr user arnold | inuyaki

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Olive oil

Inch slices of pancetta, diced into 1/4 inch cubes, (about 1/2 cup total)

1 medium Onion, diced in ¼ inch pieces

2 cups Vine ripened, whole, peeled plum tomatoes, fresh or canned

teaspoon Salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

cup Fresh basil

1 pound Dry spaghetti

cup Pecorino Romano cheese plus

2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese

Preparation

Bring 4 quarts of cold salted water to a boil. While the water is boiling, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and render the pancetta for 2 to 3 minutes, until it is golden and most of the fat has rendered out. Remove pancetta from the pan and set aside. In the rendered fat and oil that remains, saute the onion until lightly golden. Crush the plum tomatoes and add along with the pancetta, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. When the water is boiling, add pasta. Cook the sauce and the pasta for about 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Meanwhile,

Yield: 4 servings