Spaghetti All'Amatriciana - Michael Chiarello - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/3 lb pancetta, in 1 piece and partially frozen
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3/4 cup tomato puree
3/4 lb spaghetti
romano cheese, for serving

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, unroll the pancetta.
Cut it into 1-inch long chunks and then slice each chunk thinly across the grain.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat.
Add the pancetta and cook it until it renders some of its fat, about 5 minutes; do not allow it to crisp.
Add the onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
While the onion is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water.
Add the red pepper flakes and parsley to the onion mixture and cook briefly to release their fragrance.
Add the vinegar and simmer briefly until it evaporates, then add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
Simmer briefly to blend.
When the pasta is just shy of al dente, drain it and return it to the warm pot over moderate heat.
Add the sauce and cook briefly so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, then transfer the pasta to a warmed serving bowl and shower with the romano cheese.
Serve immediately.