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Amatriciana

Rome & Lazio · No.05 / 103

Amatriciana

Amatriciana, 6 ways

Tomato simmered in guanciale fat. The order in which you render the fat, and when you add the Pecorino, change the flavor.

Ryuji Fabio Yoshimi Hidaka Vincenzo's Plate Pasta Grammar Italia Squisita
25 min · Difficulty ●●○○○ · 5videos

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RyujiRecipe developer Partly unverified

Bacon, onion, browned garlic, bouillon — a home version

  • Uses bacon block instead of guanciale, plus onion and garlic — an accessibility-first home version
  • Builds aroma around browned garlic, then sets the sauce aside and washes the pan before cooking the meat — a two-step process
  • Boosts umami with bouillon — a different philosophy from the traditionalist camp
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In the chef’s words
  • Using more olive oil brings it noticeably closer to the real Italian thing source

References: [1]

FabioItalian cook (freelance chef; YouTube channel) Partly unverified

No onion, no olive oil: guanciale, passata, pecorino

  • The video title itself, "Don't add onion!", stakes out the traditionalist Roman camp
  • Uses 160g of passata rather than crushing whole canned tomatoes
  • Articulates not discarding the guanciale's rendered fat as the secret to authenticity
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In the chef’s words
  • The classic version from Lazio, Rome, uses neither onion nor olive oil. All you need is guanciale, Pecorino Romano, tomato, and pasta. source
  • Not discarding the rendered fat from guanciale or pancetta and combining it with the tomato sauce is the secret to making an authentically rich, local-style pasta source

References: [1] [2]

Yoshimi HidakaOwner-chef of Ristorante ACQUA PAZZA in Minami-Aoyama Partly unverified

Pancetta from cold, garlic and onion, white wine deglaze

  • Cooks the pancetta "from cold" to avoid a rapid sear
  • Uses both garlic and onion — the position furthest from the traditionalist Roman camp among the Japanese-side chefs
  • A two-stage moisture control: white wine, then pasta water
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In the chef’s words
  • Don't burn the garlic; once it's colored and fragrant, combine it with the pancetta source

References: [1] [2]

Vincenzo's PlateItalian-born, Sydney-based YouTube channel Source verified

150g guanciale, a glass of white wine, 5 tbsp pasta water

  • "This amatriciana recipe starts with the guanciale!" — positions guanciale as the starting point
  • Explicitly rules out bacon as a substitute
  • Times the white wine addition to when the guanciale "starts to change color"
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In the chef’s words
  • you just need 3 simple ingredients source
  • This amatriciana recipe starts with the guanciale! source

References: [1]

Italia SquisitaItalian food media channel featuring Michelin-starred and well-known chefs Source verified

Perilli original: high heat, no oil, 100g pecorino off heat

  • A representative example of the original from Amatrice, where the dish was born: no onion, no garlic at all
  • Only 1 tbsp of white wine — an order of magnitude less than the international camp's full glass / 60ml
  • Presented in contrast with Angelo Troiani's "gourmet version"
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In the chef’s words
  • Un minuto prima del tempo di cottura indicato, scolare gli spaghetti e versarli nella salsa, direttamente in padella. Mantecare per qualche minuto insieme al pecorino a fuoco spento source

References: [1] [2]

Compared on 11 axes

Figures are transcribed as written in each video or recipe page

AXIS Ryuji Fabio Yoshimi Hidaka Vincenzo's Plate Pasta Grammar Italia Squisita
Pasta, portion, and boiling 100g+ (no type specified)bucatini, 70gbucatini, 160g / 2 servingsbucatini, 250g / 2 servingsbucatini or spaghetti, 160gspaghetti, 500g, 1 min under package time
Salt in the pasta water "like a light soup broth"to taste (no %)to tastea handful of rock saltgenerous (no %)to taste
Pork (rendering the fat) 40g bacon block, low heat in olive oil45g guanciale, fat only70-80g pancetta, cooked from cold150g guanciale, low-medium heat100g guanciale, chunked, medium heat for 5-6 min150g guanciale, strips, no oil, high heat
Tomato 1/3 can of tomato160g passata400g canned chopped tomato400g peeled canned tomato400g whole tomato (hand-crushed)400g whole tomato
Wine and acidity none (1/2 tsp+ bouillon instead)not in the ingredient listwhite wine (to taste)a glass of white wine60ml white wine1 tbsp white wine
Cheese freshly grated, to tasteabout 10g pecorino1 tbsp pecorino (off the heat)a generous amount of pecorinoa generous amount of pecorino (off the heat)100g pecorino (off the heat)
Onion and garlic 1/2 small onion + 2 cloves garlic (browned)none (no onion, no olive oil)1/3 onion + 1 clove garlicnonenone (chili flakes instead)none (1 whole chili instead)
Tossing method a little pasta water + toss with olive oilunverified (not stated in the description)adjust consistency with pasta water5 tbsp pasta wateroff the heat with cheeseoff the heat, mantecare
Heat level low and slowunverifiedslow, starting from coldlow-medium heat → 10-15 minmedium heathigh heat → slow simmer
Finishing cheese optionalpecorinoolive oil, pecorino, black pepperpecorinoextra pecorino on topextra pecorino on top
Total time not statednot statednot statedabout 30 minabout 30 minnot stated
Source check Partly unverifiedPartly unverifiedPartly unverifiedSource verifiedSource verifiedSource verified
Ryuji Bacon, onion, browned garlic, bouillon — a home version
Pasta, portion, and boiling
100g+ (no type specified)
Salt in the pasta water
"like a light soup broth"
Pork (rendering the fat)
40g bacon block, low heat in olive oil
Tomato
1/3 can of tomato
Wine and acidity
none (1/2 tsp+ bouillon instead)
Cheese
freshly grated, to taste
Onion and garlic
1/2 small onion + 2 cloves garlic (browned)
Tossing method
a little pasta water + toss with olive oil
Heat level
low and slow
Finishing
cheese optional
Total time
not stated
Source
Partly unverified
Fabio No onion, no olive oil: guanciale, passata, pecorino
Pasta, portion, and boiling
bucatini, 70g
Salt in the pasta water
to taste (no %)
Pork (rendering the fat)
45g guanciale, fat only
Tomato
160g passata
Wine and acidity
not in the ingredient list
Cheese
about 10g pecorino
Onion and garlic
none (no onion, no olive oil)
Tossing method
unverified (not stated in the description)
Heat level
unverified
Finishing
pecorino
Total time
not stated
Source
Partly unverified
Yoshimi Hidaka Pancetta from cold, garlic and onion, white wine deglaze
Pasta, portion, and boiling
bucatini, 160g / 2 servings
Salt in the pasta water
to taste
Pork (rendering the fat)
70-80g pancetta, cooked from cold
Tomato
400g canned chopped tomato
Wine and acidity
white wine (to taste)
Cheese
1 tbsp pecorino (off the heat)
Onion and garlic
1/3 onion + 1 clove garlic
Tossing method
adjust consistency with pasta water
Heat level
slow, starting from cold
Finishing
olive oil, pecorino, black pepper
Total time
not stated
Source
Partly unverified
Vincenzo's Plate 150g guanciale, a glass of white wine, 5 tbsp pasta water
Pasta, portion, and boiling
bucatini, 250g / 2 servings
Salt in the pasta water
a handful of rock salt
Pork (rendering the fat)
150g guanciale, low-medium heat
Tomato
400g peeled canned tomato
Wine and acidity
a glass of white wine
Cheese
a generous amount of pecorino
Onion and garlic
none
Tossing method
5 tbsp pasta water
Heat level
low-medium heat → 10-15 min
Finishing
pecorino
Total time
about 30 min
Source
Source verified
Pasta Grammar Chunked guanciale, chili flakes, 60ml wine, cheese off heat
Pasta, portion, and boiling
bucatini or spaghetti, 160g
Salt in the pasta water
generous (no %)
Pork (rendering the fat)
100g guanciale, chunked, medium heat for 5-6 min
Tomato
400g whole tomato (hand-crushed)
Wine and acidity
60ml white wine
Cheese
a generous amount of pecorino (off the heat)
Onion and garlic
none (chili flakes instead)
Tossing method
off the heat with cheese
Heat level
medium heat
Finishing
extra pecorino on top
Total time
about 30 min
Source
Source verified
Italia Squisita Perilli original: high heat, no oil, 100g pecorino off heat
Pasta, portion, and boiling
spaghetti, 500g, 1 min under package time
Salt in the pasta water
to taste
Pork (rendering the fat)
150g guanciale, strips, no oil, high heat
Tomato
400g whole tomato
Wine and acidity
1 tbsp white wine
Cheese
100g pecorino (off the heat)
Onion and garlic
none (1 whole chili instead)
Tossing method
off the heat, mantecare
Heat level
high heat → slow simmer
Finishing
extra pecorino on top
Total time
not stated
Source
Source verified

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1 Pasta & boiling Brand, thickness, salt, water volume, cooking time
2 Base Fat and the main ingredient: rendering, infusing
3 Sauce & emulsion Where you toss, heat level, how much pasta water
4 Finish Cheese, pepper, finishing oil, plating

The map of schools: where the heat is managed

For Amatriciana, the fork in the road is how you emulsify and heat

Toss over direct heat

The pan stays on the flame and your hands manage the temperature. Fast, but it takes feel.

Indirect heat

Bain-marie, steam, double boiler or a hand blender. Repeatable, at the cost of one extra step.

  • No styles here

Off the heat

Emulsify after killing the flame, or in a bowl with only the pasta’s residual heat. Hard to get wrong.

Total timeActual values from 2 styles. Equal values stack vertically
29 min29.5 min30 min30.5 min31 minVincenzo's Plate: about 30 minVPPasta Grammar: about 30 minES
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  • Pasta alla ZozzonaAnother Rome & Lazio dish · Shared main ingredients: Tomato, Pecorino · Shared tags: Rome, Guanciale
  • Penne alla VodkaShared main ingredients: Tomato, Pecorino

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