Serves 4

400 g of dried spaghetti pasta of durum wheat flour of high quality Italian production (e.g. De Cecco no. 12).

250 g of Amatrice pork cheek. Better not to use the bacon because it is too salty, instead pork cheek has a delicate and fragrant flavor. This is the key ingredient of the amatriciana. No pork cheek, no amatriciana sauce!

500 g of fresh homemade tomato, red and ripe. Alternatively you can use peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano quality (e.g. The tomatoes Graziella).

150 g of pecorino of amateur, very delicate, sweet and slightly spicy, or the Pecorino Romano DOP.

1 tablespoon of lard. At one time it was using this ingredient sweet and delicate to lubricate pans, which were of iron (it would be better not use oil, because its acidity is likely to alter the flavor of the sauce).

1 red chilli not too spicy.

1 handful of salt to the pasta water.

Preparation

Cut the slices of bacon into strips of amateur long, uniform and of the same thickness (avoid cutting the bacon into cubes because you are likely to make the hard fat at the end of yearning).

Peel the tomatoes homemade scottandoli advance in boiling water, remove their skin and the central part with the seeds and place in a bowl with their juice. Grated pecorino holding it aside.

 

Pour a tablespoon of lard in the pan (use strictly the iron pan as not to alter the flavor of the sauce) and let it heat over high heat in order to completely cover the bottom.
Add the strips of bacon and chilli, turning once with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat and fry the bacon for a few minutes, until he has reached the right coloring golden yellow. Pay attention to this stage, because it is decisive for the success of the sauce: the pillow must be toasted, not burnt! Seizing the right moment is one of those secrets to un'amatriciana to perfection that you do not learn only with experience, a legacy of food the ancient shepherds amatriciana. Losing the "magic" moment, the pillow or burns or boiled, and our amatriciana will be jeopardized.

Stops the browning the bacon in a pan pouring tomato prepared earlier. The sauce must cook for about 10 minutes, turn it occasionally until it has reached the right degree of density and fluidity.
When cooked, remove the chili, drain spaghetti cooked al dente made previously and pour into the pan. Saute for a few minutes, adding a little 'time to the grated cheese.


Serve hot on a plate with a final sprinkling of pecorino.