Bombolotti All Amatriciana Recipes

Steps:

• Cook diced bacon in a large saucepan over medium high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from the pan.
• Add onions, and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes, undrained; simmer 10 minutes, breaking up tomatoes.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of 4 quarts boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
• Stir basil into the sauce, and then toss with cooked pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl with the cold water. Place the flour, eggs, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the ingredients are dispersed, about 5 seconds. Add the dissolved yeast and beat for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed, until the dough is well combined and holds together. Add the cubed butter and mix for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the mixing bowl. If the dough is overly sticky, you may need to add about 1 tablespoon of flour. It is usually necessary to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula to encourage the dough to form a ball and come away from the side. Remove the paddle and pat the dough into a ball at the bottom of the bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. The dough will rise slightly.
• Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and punch it down to remove the air. Spread it onto a lightly floured baking sheet with your fingers and flatten the dough until it is about 3/4-inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. It will slightly proof.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. Flatten it slightly with your hands. Cut the dough into circles with a 1 1/2-inch diameter cutter, keeping the cuts as close together as possible. Pat any leftover dough into a rectangle and cut more circles out of it. (At this stage, the Bombolini can be frozen for up to 1 week if well wrapped in plastic wrap. Allow the Bombolini to defrost in the refrigerator before proofing.)
• Place the Bomboloni on a parchment covered baking sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Space them 2 inches apart. Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Allow the Bomboloni to proof at room temperature for about 2 hours, until they have doubled in size and appear light and full of air.
• Heat the oil about 15 minutes in an electric fryer or in a 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat to 320 degrees F. If using a saucepan, check the temperature with a candy thermometer. Fry 5 to 7 Bomboloni at one time, any more than that and the oil temperature will dip down too much and they will not fry evenly. Fry for a total of 3 to 5 minutes, until they are golden brown. Turn to evenly fry each side. As they fry, they will increase in size. Remove the Bomboloni with a large slotted spoon and set on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
• While the Bomboloni are still warm, roll them in a bowl filled with granulated sugar until evenly coated. If desired, fill the Bomboloni with a jam-filled pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Use a sharp paring knife to make a small hole on the bottom of each Bomboloni. Place the tip of the pastry bag in the hole and squeeze until the Bomboloni feels heavy. It is best to fill the Bomboloni while they are still warm and the dough soft and pliable. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook onion until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in passata, water, and sugar; cook until sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes
• Drain spaghetti and toss with sauce, remaining olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• * Note 1: Bombolotti pasta is in the shape of a squat, ridged tube, essentially, half-rigatoni. But artisanal spaghetti or bucatini will do nicely as well. * Note 2: Guanciale, cured pork cheek, is available by mail from specialty sources such as Corti Bros., in Sacramento, (800) 509-3663, and BuonItalia in New York, (212) 633-9090 or www.buonitalia.com Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, 12 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the guanciale into strips about 2 inches long and one-fourth-inch thick. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the guanciale and cook until lightly brown, another minute (it will not cook like bacon). Add the onion and cook another minute. If necessary, spoon excess fat from the pan. Add the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Add salt to taste and the red pepper flakes. Discard the garlic. Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino Romano. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and toss together. This recipe yields 4 servings. Each serving: 259 calories; 174 mg. sodium; 20 mg. cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 1.92 grams fiber.