Spaghetti all' Amatriciana

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300 g durum wheat semolina, fine variety
• 200 g water, warm
• 250 g speck (Guanciale or South Tyrolean speck)
• 500 g tomatoes, peeled from the can
• 150 g Pecorino, mild
• 1 tbsp lard
• 1 red chili pepper
• salt and pepper
• Sea salt, coarse

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Regional recipe from Amatrice

Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in the water and gradually add the water to the semolina, stirring or kneading continuously until you have a homogeneous, creamy, velvety dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest for at least an hour. Then, using a pasta machine, roll out strips and process them into spaghetti. Cut the speck (guanciale) into equal-sized strips. Finely grate the pecorino and halve the chili pepper lengthwise. Heat the lard over high heat until completely melted. Add the guanciale and chili pepper and reduce the heat slightly. Sauté only until the guanciale has turned a golden yellow color. Chop the tomatoes, add them, and simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and discard the chili pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the spaghetti in water salted with coarse sea salt until al dente, drain, and add to the sauce. Gradually add the pecorino, stirring constantly. Serve the spaghetti hot, sprinkle with a little more pecorino.