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Gnocchetti all’Amatriciana is a delicious Italian pasta dish featuring a flavorful sauce made with tomatoes, guanciale or pancetta, onions, and pecorino cheese. It’s typically served with small pasta shapes like gnocchetti or bucatini. Here’s how to make Gnocchetti all’Amatriciana:
Ingredients
Units Scale
- 12 ounces (about 340g) gnocchetti pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
- 4 ounces (about 115g) guanciale or pancetta, diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 can (14 ounces) of whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 1–2 dried red chilies (adjust to your spice preference)
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Start by cooking the gnocchetti pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions until it’s al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and set it aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced guanciale or pancetta and cook until it becomes crispy and golden brown, which should take about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy meat from the skillet and place it on paper towels to drain excess grease. Set it aside.
- In the same skillet with the rendered meat fat, add the chopped onion and cook it until it becomes soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the dried red chilies to the skillet with the onions. You can adjust the quantity based on your spice preference. Cook for another minute or so.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon or spatula. If you’re using whole peeled tomatoes, crush them as you stir. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the flavors meld together.
- Season the tomato sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked gnocchetti pasta to the skillet with the tomato sauce and toss to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce is too thick, you can add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to reach your desired consistency.
- Stir in the crispy guanciale or pancetta pieces and mix them with the pasta and tomato sauce.
- Serve Gnocchetti all’Amatriciana in individual plates, garnishing each serving with a generous sprinkle of grated Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh parsley or basil leaves, if desired.