Guanciale

A local store makes their own guanciale -- Italian smoked bacon for the uninitiated -- which led to thoughts of a pasta Amatriciana.

A little place in San Francisco, Ideale, makes a version I like. I decided to try Batali's version but it came out not quite right. He likes to fry the guanciale with the vegetables but I find it too mushy.

So I came up with my own version. If you can't find guanciale use pancetta, thin sliced. Fry the guanciale until just crisp, then place on a paper toweled lined plate. Make a tomato sauce, adding red pepper flakes to taste. I finely chop an onion, carrot and maybe slice some celery and cook until soft, then add a couple of sliced (not minced) garlic cloves for thirty seconds. Add a big can of tomatoes and 1/4 cup chicken or other broth and bring to a boil. Simmer, and when done break up the guanciale and sprinkle on top. Cook some bucatini, add it to the sauce and cook for a couple of minutes longer.