Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

30 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Mangiamo!, Recipes, Roma

Tags

Amatrice, Croce Rossa Italiana, Cucina Romana, Earthquake relief Central Italy, Inspiration, Italian food, Pasta all'Amatriciana, Terremoto 2016, Traditional recipes

My last post was about the terremoto in Italia and I listed ways you can help with earthquake relief. One of these ways was to order Pasta all’Amatriciana at one of the many restaurants participating to raise money for the Croce Rossa Italiana. I realized that not everyone will have a restaurant in their area participating, so I am posting a recipe, just in case anyone wants to host their own small fundraiser. August 27-28 would have been the Spaghetti all’Amatriciana festa in Amatrice.

Pasta all’Amatriciana-also known as Pasta alla Matriciana in dialetto Romano, is made with guanciale (cured pork cheek), Pecorino Romano, and pomodoro (tomato). Peperoncino is often added. Pasta all’Amatriciana originated from Pasta alla Gricia, made with guanciale and Pecorino. It is basically Pasta Carbonara with tomato instead of eggs. Shepherds near Amatrice carried the simple ingredients with them into the fields. The pomodoro had not been brought to Europe yet. In Amatrice, they started making the Pasta alla Gricia with pomodoro, once it had been introduced. When Amatriciani moved from the outlaying areas to Roma, the sauce became popular, and is now considered a staple of Cucina Romana. In Roma, Amatriciana is made with bucatini, which are spaghetti with a hole down the middle, or rigatoni, but in Amatrice, it is only made with spaghetti!

Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

100g guanciale (pancetta can be used if guanciale not available)

350g passata di pomodoro, or pelati (peeled tomatoes)-about 1 500ml canning jar

75g Pecorino Romano, freshly grated

Black pepper, freshly grated

320g spaghetti or bucatini (80g per person)

Cut guanciale into strips or cubes. In a frying pan, cook guanciale until crispy. When the white part becomes transparent, add tomatoes and pepper. While this is simmering, cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted water. Cook for 1 minute less than the time it says on the box! Drain well then add to the pan and toss in the sauce and add Pecorino. Serve with extra Pecorino Romano on top. Serves 4. Buon Appetito!

Terremoto in Italia~How to help

26 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Croce Rossa Italiana, Earthquake relief Central Italy, La Piazza Dario Ristorante Vancouver, National Italian-American Foundation, Pasta all'Amatriciana, Terremoto 2016

Vigili del Fuoco in Amatrice-Winnipeg Free Press

Una preghiera per le vittime del terremoto. A few days ago, a devastating terremoto-earthquake struck central Italia. Today aftershocks continue to damage buildings and roads. The ancient villages of Amatrice, Accumuli, Pescara del Tronto and Arquata del Tronto now look like part of Dante’s Inferno. Pescara del Tronto has been totally destroyed, with only 5 buildings left standing. The death toll is 267 and rising, countless others are still missing, and thousands left displaced and homeless. Since the Unification of Italia in 1861, there have been 35 major terremoti, and 86 smaller ones.

What can you do to help:

The Croce Rosse Italiana-Italian Red Cross has a page set up (in Italian) for the earthquake rescue efforts. To donate in international currencies a fund has been set up by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). I used this one myself and it was molto facile!

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) has a donation page set up for earthquake relief.

Save the Children has launched a response in Amatrice, setting up a child-friendly space, a safe and protected environment where children and young people can receive support from trained staff and participate in various activities. This will allow them to play, socialize, learn, and express themselves as they recover from trauma.

Order Pasta all’Amatriciana! Italian ristoranti all over Italia and around the world are donating €2 per plate of pasta all’Amatriciana to the Italian Red Cross for relief in Amatrice. This fund raising initiative started by Italian blogger Paolo Campana had 700 restaurants signed up within a few hours. For the month of September, La Piazza Dario Ristorante Italiano in Vancouver will be donating $5 per order of Spaghetti all’Amatriciana to the Croce Rossa Italiana.

Pasta all’Amatriciana originated from shepherds in the area around Amatrice.

In Roma and across Italia, you can donate blood, and there are donation points set up to donate non-perishable food, blankets, clothing and flashlights.

Last, but definitely not least, pray for survivors! Ciao, Cristina

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