What a terrific idea from Slow Food!! I am going to make and/or eat more spaghetti all’amatriciana whenever possible and see to it that all the restaurants I know also know of this campaign.
To increase your enjoyment, I offer a recipe and some mouth-watering photos!
“SLOW FOOD” MOVEMENT LAUNCHES AMATRICIANA RELIEF FUND
(ANSA) – Turin, August 25 – The founder of the Slow Food movement on Thursday launched an earthquake relief campaign for the mountain village of Amatrice, which was flattened by an earthquake yesterday. The village in the Apennine mountains in the Lazio region in central Italy is also the birthplace of the world-famous “amatriciana” pasta sauce based on cured pork cheek, pecorino cheese, and tomato.
The “A Future for Amatrice” campaign – launched by Slow Food in agreement with Amatrice Mayor Sergio Pirozzi – calls on restaurants around the world to put pasta all’amatriciana on their menu for a year, with two euros from every dish served to go to the quake relief fund.
“We want to contribute and to avoid the risk of the initial generous impetus and attention wearing off after a couple of weeks,” said Slow Food founder and chief, Claudio Petrini. “Amatriciana pasta is a humble dish, symbolic of a farming culture that is based on solidarity.” Fund-raising for Amatrice must be “lasting and constant,” Petrini added.
The donations – with one euro coming from the restaurateur and one euro from the client for every amatriciana dish served – will go directly to the City of Amatrice, whose International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is IT 28 M 08327 73470 000000006000. Petrini will present the campaign in Copenhagen at a symposium with over 400 chefs from around the world.
PASTA ALL’AMATRICIANA – RECIPE FOR 4 PEOPLE
- 400 grams (1 lb) of spaghetti or bucatini (a hollow pasta like a straw – I find it often unwinds on my fork after I’ve done a terrific job of winding the pasta and I find I am wearing the tomato sauce. By the way, amatriciana without the tomatoes is called gricia or white amatriciana. Word of warning: Please folks, NEVER cut the pasta with a knife and never, ever in Italy!
Ingredients:
- 4 – 5 nice ripe tomatoes that you have blanched in boiling water.
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin Italian olive oil
- 4 oz of guanciale (aka pork cheek )(or pancetta), cut into small strips
- ½ glass of dry white wine
- 3 oz of grated aged pecorino cheese
- half cup water
- pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional)
- small onion, chopped into small pieces ( optional )
- salt – black pepper
Instructions:
In a large heavy saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion (if you wish) and the guanciale (pancetta) and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Stir in pepper flakes and cook 10 seconds. Add tomatoes and water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until sauce is thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and, when sauce is almost done, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, 8 to 10 minutes or the time that is suggested on the package for the type of pasta you use. (do NOT use table salt when making pasta – use the large marine or sea salt). Drain the pasta. Pour pasta and sauce into a lightly heated fry pan, toss for a minute and serve in individual dishes. Offer a bowl of grated Parmesan (or pecorino) cheese on the side.
Joan's Rome 