All'Amatriciana Sauce

• Recipe by Grace Parisi

This spicy, pancetta-studded sauce is great with shellfish and bucatini, the hollow, spaghetti-like pasta.

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2. 3 ounces pancetta—sliced 1/4-inch thick, then cut into 1/4-inch dice
3. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4. 3 garlic cloves, peeled
5. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
6. One 35-ounce can whole peeled Italian tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand
7. Pinch of sugar
8. 2 basil sprigs
9. Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté the diced pancetta with the garlic and crushed red pepper over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices. Stir in the sugar and basil, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and is reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Season again with salt and pepper. Discard the basil sprigs and garlic.

Make Ahead

The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.