Bucatini With Tomato, Pancetta and Chilies
Recipe: #11430
December 07, 2013
Categories: Bucatini, Italian, Sunday Dinner, Canned Tomatoes, Italian Dinner, more
"This recipe is from a really interesting article about fish sauce, by Andrea Nguyen. She describes how it creates umami, or something so delicious it's addictive, and I'd have to agree. It seems a bit strange to add fish sauce to an Italian sauce, but this sounds divine! Be sure to use a good quality fish sauce (3 Crabs, Red Boat, Flying Lion, or Megachef) or you will ruin your dish. The fish sauce should not smell overly fishy or foul."
Ingredients
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (302.7 g)
- Calories 647.1
- Total Fat - 18.7 g
- Saturated Fat - 5.9 g
- Cholesterol - 42.1 mg
- Sodium - 1206.2 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 96.2 g
- Dietary Fiber - 13.8 g
- Sugars - 3 g
- Protein - 26.4 g
- Calcium - 276.7 mg
- Iron - 1.9 mg
- Vitamin C - 13.6 mg
- Thiamin - 0.8 mg
Step by Step Method
Step 1
Bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil over high heat. Add bucatini and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving a cup of cooking water, and set aside.
Step 2
Dice pancetta into pieces about the size of large peas. Set aside near stove.
Step 3
Place tomatoes in a bowl and use your hands to mash them, discarding any stem bits you find. Stir in fish sauce and set aside near pancetta.
Step 4
In a large, wide saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and smoking, about 8 minutes. Add chili flakes and mashed tomato (careful, it will sizzle!), and stir to combine.
Step 5
Raise heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
Step 6
Lower heat slightly, taste and add salt or fish sauce for depth, or a splash of reserved cooking water to mellow the flavor to your taste.
Step 7
Add pasta and toss to coat well, adding a touch of pasta water if necessary to coat fully.
Step 8
Add 2/3 of the cheese, toss again, then divide among individual pasta bowls or plates. Top with the remaining cheese.
Tips
No special items needed.