Amatriciana… The queen

A few simple, first-rate ingredients are enough to give life to one of the most extraordinary and iconic dishes of Rome's culinary tradition, loved and imitated all over the world, often with dubious results.

Amatriciana is closely linked to the unmistakable flavours of the 'primi' (first courses) of the Roman cuisine, which brings to the table masterpieces of taste such as the succulent Carbonara, the Cacio e Pepe and the Gricia, strictly white, its tasty ancestor.

Before tasting this delicious dish, we must, therefore, tell something about the ancient origins of the Gricia, whose recipe originated in a small mountain village nestled between Lazio and Abruzzo and the custom of the local shepherds to bring along the ingredients to create a unique and mouth-watering meal.

Perhaps you do not know, however, that it is precisely from the Gricia that Amatriciana originated, having been developed after tomatoes arrived in Italy in the 16th century.

It seems that the addition of tomato to an already unsurpassed recipe was due to the brilliant intuition of Francesco Leonardi, a Roman cook who testifies to its use in his cookbook L'Apicio Moderno, ossia l'arte di apprestare ogni sorta di vivande (Modern Apicius, or the art of preparing all kinds of food) of 1790.

It was only in the 19th century that a new trend took hold: after the addition of tomatoes, the Amatriciana was perfected with the introduction of a different pasta shape, the bucatini - large, perforated spaghetti designed to better retain the sauce. It definitively conquered the palates of the Romans, thanks also to the arrival in Rome of the 'matriciani' hosts and innkeepers who were specialised in its preparation.

The perfect balance of ingredients, the heady fragrance of guanciale bacon browning in the pan, a few, skilful preparations and you're done: are you ready for a mmemorable gastronomic experience?