Spaghetti Amatriciana

In the 24th of August 2016 in Amatrice, Italy, earthquake of magnitude 6.0 destroyed the whole city and killed 297 people and leaving countless people without home.

This city was famous of it's pasta delicacy called Pasta Amatriciana, named after the city. I visited the city before the catastrophe and it was a astonishingly beautiful place and the food we ate there was heavenly. I like to remember the city like this and this receipt to honor the people of the Amatrice.

Here is how I made this delicious pasta.

To make pasta Amatriciana we need:

• Pork cheek (it looks like bacon but is just better)
• Pecorino cheese
• Tomato sauce
• Pasta
• Olive oil
• Salt

Let's start with cutting some slices of pork cheek. Once you cut them cut also away the skin. Then cut the slices into pieces like in the picture. The thickness of each slice is about half a centimeter.

Grate some Pecorino cheese.

Pecorino cheese is almost like Parmigiano, but more salty and made of sheep milk. It also has more strong flavor.

Try Pecorino also with slices of pears.

Take a frying pan and put some olive oil and let it get hot. Add then the pork cheek that we cut previously and let it fry until it starts to get bit crunchy.

Add to the meat some tomato sauce ( I used about 200g) and about 0,5dl
of water. Let it boil until the tomato sauce is cooked and the sauce got thicker.

I think everyone knows how to cook pasta, but I will explain it anyway.

So, take a deep pot and pour water, at least half pot. Make it boil and add some salt then add spaghetti. Let boil until pasta is cooked

Remember to stir often so they don't get stacked.

Once the pasta is cooked take the water away and put the pasta in the pan with the sauce.

Mix well and add some pecorino cheese.

Now you are ready to serve!

It goes nicely with good red wine.

Enjoy! :)