Amatriciana Pasta
So often, the simpler recipes are the best, and this one – containing just ten ingredients. Knorr Professional Italian Tomato Base makes this recipe quick and easy as Base is already cooked before going into the can.
Originating from Italy, it’s made with Bucatini – which is kind of like fat spaghetti with a hole running through the center. You can make the dish with spaghetti, angle hair or even penne or rigatoni if you prefer, but bucatini is the best.

Ingredients
Amatriciana Pasta:
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Olive oil 50 ml
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Turkey bacon 600 g
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Chilli flakes 10 g
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Onion, brunoise 150 g
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Spaghetti 900 g
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Canned tomato 200 g
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Basil pesto 50 g
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Pecorino cheese, grated 350 g
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Parsley chopped 80 g
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Black pepper 20 g
Preparation
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Amatriciana Pasta:
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the turkey bacon, cooking on a high heat until just crisp, stirring in the chilli flakes for the last minute of cooking.
- Remove the turkey bacon from the pan and add the onions to the oil that has been left in the pan.
- Cook the onions on a low heat for 5 minutes, until soft. Add in theKnorr Professional Italian Tomato Base and basil pesto, canned tomato bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- Cook your spaghetti at this point too. I cook spaghetti in boiling water for 12 minutes, so that it still retains a bite of bite, then drain, reserving half a cup of the pasta water.
- Once the pasta is cooked and the tomatoes are thickened, add the pasta to the pan with the tomatoes. Add three-quarters of the pecorino, the cooked turkey bacon and the black pepper, then toss everything together to coat the pasta. Add in some of pasta water if the sauce is a little too dry for you (although the sauce should stick to the pasta, without pooling at the bottom of the pan).
- Serve topped with the reserved pecorino and parsley.
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Chefs Tip for Replacing Pancetta:
- For a vegetarian twist use brown mushroom & to keep the recipe authentic use beef bacon rather than turkey in the recipe.