There was a time when I used to think that the single biggest driver in great food was the person cooking it.  The fact of the matter is, without great ingredients, most chefs would have a hard time making great food.  Does this mean that chefs aren’t really all that good at what they do?  Absolutely not.  It merely speaks to the importance of using great ingredients in your cooking.

Without a good starting point, it’s very tough to make something taste delicious, and, thankfully the reverse is true.  Take the recipe below (Bucatini all’Amtraciana) from Lidia Bastianich’s Lidia’s Italian American Kitchen.  It has 7 ingredients, and takes about 30 minutes to make.  With good, quality ingredients, it’s delicious.  Without them, it’s meh.

Let’s walk through them.

San Marzano tomatoes

This is a specific type of plum tomato originating around Naples, Italy.  They have a much sweeter taste than other plum tomatoes, which makes them excellent for sauces.  Domestic San Marzano’s are available, but they aren’t “true” San Marzano’s, which are a protected designation of origin in Italy (DOP).

I make all my tomato based sauces from canned Italian San Marzano’s, although they can be tricky to find.  Check some higher-end grocery stores (like Whole Foods).  I have swapped the domestic variety in a pinch, and have had acceptable results.

The risk with using a more conventional canned tomato is that they tend to have a more acidic taste, and some can even give off a metallic flavor.  You would have to compensate with some sugar, and then the flavor balance just wouldn’t be right.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

To be honest, I think extra-virgin olive oil is a little overused, but here it is not.  The thing with using extra-virgin olive oil is that it needs to be used in a way that showcases it’s flavor, and here it’s adding a fruity unctuousness to the sauce, which is delicious.

Pancetta

Sometimes called “italian bacon,” pancetta is pork belly cured with aromatic spices (usually juniper and nutmeg).  Traditionally, pancetta is rolled into a circle, but I’ve seen it laying flat too.  Try to find it uncut and not pre-packaged, and imported if possible.  You’ll only be using a little bit here, so don’t freak out about the price.  Besides, it’s worth it.

The thickness of the cut is also important here.  You’ll want a chewy texture, not crisp crumbles.

Bucatini

This is a curious little pasta shape, and one that I hadn’t seen before until I saw it on a menu somewhere.  It’s like a straw (think of spaghetti with a hole down the middle), which allows for a small amount of sauce to sneak in to the hollow, and also gives the pasta a nice toothsome texture.

This is a really traditional pasta shape for this sauce, but it can be tough to find.  I urge you to seek it out though, because it’s a perfect match for the sauce.

Pecorino Romano cheese

I remember the days before I had good Italian cheese.  While my family never had the can of parmesan “cheese,” we did use domestic copy-cat parmesan cheese, which has nothing on real parmigiano-reggiano cheese.  The differences couldn’t be more striking.  Rubbery, overly salty vs. nutty, buttery, complex.

The same can be said for romano.  Pecorino romano is a hard, sheep’s milk cheese with a salty presence.  Please get the real thing.  You won’t be disappointed.

Makes about 6 servings

• One 35-ounce can Italian San Marzano tomatoes
• 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• Four 1/4-inch slices pancetta (about 6 ounces)
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 pound bucatini
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Technically, you’re supposed to run the tomatoes through a food mill, but who the hell has a food mill anyway?

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat.  Chop the onion, or thinly slice it if you prefer (I had to hide them from my wife, so I chopped them).  Add the onion to the hot oil and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.

Cut the pancetta into 1/4-inch x 1/4-inch x 1 1/2-inch sticks.  To do this, unroll each slice and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch sticks.  Add the pancetta to the pan and cook about 2 minutes.  You don’t want the pancetta to crisp and overcook.  You want a nice chewy texture here.

Add the tomatoes to the pan with their juice, breaking up the tomatoes with your hand (just squeeze ‘em, but watch out for squirts).  Add a little salt, but don’t go crazy, because the cheese will add a lot of saltiness later.  Add the crushed red pepper.  Bring to a lively simmer and cook about 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the bucatini.  Cook until you still have a little chew, probably around 9-12 minutes.  Drain.

Return the pasta to the pot and add half of the sauce, along with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the cheese.  Toss to coat.

Serve the pasta, adding a little more sauce on top, passing extra cheese at the table.

Tags: bucatini, food, italian, pasta, san marzano

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