Rigatoni all' Amatriciana

(Rigatoni in spicy bacon and tomato sauce)

Serves 4-6


Ingredients:

6 thin slices pancetta or 3 rashers bacon
1kg ripe red cooking tomatoes
500g rigatoni
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, very finely chopped
2 tsp very finely chopped fresh chilli
salt and pepper


Method:

1. Using a sharp knife, finely chop the pancetta or bacon. Mark a small cross in the bottom of each tomato. Place the tomatoes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, and then immediately plunge them into cold water for a few seconds. Remove from the water and use a knife to carefully peel back the skin from the cross. Discard the skin and roughly chop the remaining tomato flesh.
2. Add the rigatoni to a large pan of rapidly boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain well in a colander and return to the pan and keep warm.
3. About 6 minutes before the rigatoni is cooked, heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Add the pancetta, onion and chilli and stir over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 3 minutes. Add the sauce to the pasta in the pan and toss until well combined. Serve at once in warm individual serving bowls. Garnish with shavings of Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Note: This dish is believed to be originally from the town of Amatrice, where bacon is one of the prized local products. For a change from regular tomatoes, you may like to try fresh Roma or egg tomatoes in this recipe. Firm-fleshed, with few seeds and a rich flavour when cooked, these tomatoes are excellent in tomato sauces and are often used in Italian cooking. They are available in some supermarkets and greengrocers.