Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of pasta? This dish is an emblematic Roman recipe that pairs wonderfully with a lighter wine!
Ingredients (serves 2)
200g pasta – spaghetti, bucatini and rigatoni are all good choices
40g guanciale (pork charcuterie that can be found in most Italian delis) or pancetta
50g grated pecorino romano
250g tinned chopped tomatoes
¼ onion
Salt, pepper
Method
Start by cutting the guanciale into slices and brown these in a frying pan (no need to add oil!) for around 5 minutes, until the fat has softened well. Then add the finely sliced onion and cook for a few more minutes.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, add a pinch of salt and pepper, then let it cook on a gentle heat for around 20 minutes, until it has reduced to a more concentrated texture.
During this time, cook the pasta. You’ll need a large saucepan, and you should add salt to the water as it is boiling. Once you’ve added the pasta to the pan, follow the packet instructions for cooking time.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and plate it up (top tip: heat the plate first so the pasta doesn’t cool too quickly!). Then, add the sauce on top and grate the pecorino to finish. All that’s left to do is taste!
Wine pairing
Tomato isn’t the easiest ingredient to pair with wine, but it does go well with rosé, especially as this is a relatively simple dish. The guanciale and onion bring the flavour, so we recommend a vinous rosé, one that can be recognised by its darker tone. Rosés from the Bandol, Palette and Tavel appellations would go well, though they aren’t the only ones!
If you’re not a fan of rosé, it’s also nice to pair this dish with a red wine, though it should be quite a light one. Those from the Beaujolais are a good choice, as well as Dolcetto or Barbera wines from Italy.
