Spaghetti all' Amitriciana - probably the most authentic version

From the little town of Amatrice in Lazio comes Spaghetti all' Amitriciana (it should be Bucatini all' Amiticiana - but you try buying bucatini pasta in Booths let alone Cumbria.) Amitriciana is one of the four great dishes of Rome, Cacio en Pepe, Carbonara and Pasta la Gricia being the others. Amitriciana is a classic recipe but how to make it causes many arguments...

- it has onions or garlic in the sauce it must not have cheese on top
- you can have garlic but no onion
- you can have onion but no garlic
- if you include chillies you can't include garlic
- Amitriciana with bacon rather than guanciale, not Amitriciana

Anyway even You Tube is in complete disagreement, quel surprise, so readers I think my recipe would pass muster and comes from 'Italia Squisita' from their You Tube channel which is in Italian and features only Italian recipes from traditional cooks and top chefs. Link below recipe.

As Guanciale is also difficult to buy up North, somewhat oddly. It has to be bacon.

The rules:-

Bacon be must chopped into small cubes, heated in a frying pan without any oil until crispy and has released it's fat.  A small dried chilli or a few flakes may be added but not a lot. Then a dash, and I mean a dash of white wine (think tablespoon) should be added and allowed to reduce, then tin of best tinned tomatoes that have been crushed with a fork (Lidl do a tin of cherry toms that work well). Then a teaspoon of Balsamic vinegar if you dare and no one is looking. Sea salt and pepper. Simmer and add a little water from the pasta if required. Simmer for a few mins.

Pasta
Sorry but your usual pasta is always over cooked. If it says 12 mins get used to 10 mins or even 8, when Italians say al dente or 'bite' they really mean 'hard'. Drain it and add to the sauce. 

Cheese
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan err maybe anything else and you'll want thumping.

Serve with a smile but use your eyes and your demeanor to keep the family respectful.