One of the secrets to perfect Italian pasta is to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. If you master and understand this dish, you will understand the art of Italian pastas and pasta sauces, which is all about putting very simple ingredients together in just the right way. Try using my Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce (see Notes).
Ingredients
- 4 ounces guanciale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1.5 cups fresh tomato sauce
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- kosher salt to taste
- 1.5 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
-
1
Cut guanciale into 1-inch by 1/8-inch strips.
-
2
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add guanciale and cook until well browned and fully rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl. Leave all fat in the pan.
-
3
Start pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until not quite done, about 10 minutes. You want it undercooked by at least 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
-
4
At the same time, add wine to the guanciale fat in the saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce and pepper; bring to a simmer.
-
5
Transfer the almost fully-cooked pasta into the sauce using a slotted spoon; it's okay if some water gets in the sauce. Add guanciale and stir to combine. Season with salt. Cook and stir until pasta absorbs the sauce and finishes cooking, and the sauce thickens up, about 3 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of the pasta water.
-
6
Turn off the heat and add some of the Pecorino cheese. Stir until melted, then repeat until all cheese has been added.
-
7
Ladle into 2 bowls and serve.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
Want to cook this?
Open in the PantryLink app to scale servings, check your pantry stock, and generate a shopping list.
Sign In to Save Recipe Create Free AccountSuggest an Edit
Help improve this recipe's categorization, image, or dietary info. Earn points and badges!
Suggest Changes in AppPrefer a printed copy? Use our print-friendly view with adjustable servings and font size.
Open Print ViewMore French Recipes
Sausage Crescent Rolls
Spicy seasoned sausage mixed with cream cheese and wrapped in crescent rolls. For a different variation, add thin slices of pepperoni on the bottom of crescent roll before the sausage mixture and shred cheddar on top of sausage; roll pastry over.
OREO Mint Chocolate Mousse
Instant pudding mix makes short work of this minty chocolate mousse. A garnish of fresh berries and minty cookie halves takes the dish to new heights.
One Pan Chicken Sausage, Vegetables, and Orzo
For this one pan chicken sausage, vegetables, and orzo, everything goes into one skillet. You will want to cut up and measure the ingredients before you start cooking, because this colorful dish comes together quickly. If you like, put some bread in the oven to warm and make a small Caesar salad while the orzo cooks, and your complete dinner will be on the table in under 45 minutes.