Recipe: Nonna Chiara's Spaghetti all' Amatriciana

An easy Italian classic for when only pasta will do...

Buongiorno a tutti from Milano,

I’ve swapped home base for the next few weeks and I’m writing from Italy. That means I’m eating as much gelato, focaccia, pasta and tiramisu as I can manage to squeeze in and I’m swilling it all down with copious amounts of Barolo. The ultimate goal on every Italy visit should be to gain at least 3 kilos.

(Stay tuned for my guide to falling in love with Milan, coming soon!)

Now feels the right time to share a special recipe that is essential in any Nonna’s repertoire. It comes from Chiara, my mother-in-law who now happens to be a Nonna to my beautiful daughter Calypso.

Chiara saves my life every time I come back to my second home here in Milan. She entertains Calypso for hours in her stylish apartment in the heart of the city and manages to cook for us all at the same time.

What amazes me the most is that she seems to be able to whip up a tasty meal (antipasti, primo and secondo) at a moment’s notice. Perhaps it’s the Italian Nonna’s way. Despite Chiara’s aversion to all things green (I’m a BIG veg fan) I still love what she puts on the table. She cooks the way she dresses, with flare, confidence and ease.

Over the many years that she worked as a fashion stylist, Chiara was always very busy and needed a go-to dinner for the family that came together with little fuss and effort but yielded maximum results. This Spaghetti all’Amatriciana is an easy one that Nonna Chiara has learned to rustle up on the quick.

It originates in the Italian town of Amatrice and was a quick meal that shepherds would make over fire while out in their pastures. The original Amatriciana is made with guanciale, fresh pasta and some cheese without a tomato sugo. This is now known as ‘ Amatriciana bianca’ but Chiara uses the more recent version of the recipe (tomatoes began to be included from the 1800s onwards as the fruit became increasingly popular and available), creating a rich tomato sugo that coats the spaghetti and adds a sweetness that uplifts and nourishes.

Chiara insists that you ALWAYS use Guanciale and never EVER break the spaghetti into the pot of boiling water. Her preferred pasta brand is Rummo but she says “anything is better than Barilla.”

Recipe - Nonna Chiara’s Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

INGREDIENTS