Tonight I made a dish for Paula that was in the latest Rachael Ray magazine. It was rigatoni with a sauce based on pancetta, balsamic vinegar, onions and tomatoes. It was delicious! Best of all, it was not that hard to make…
Ingredients:
- 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 8 ounces of diced pancetta
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- 4 cloves of chopped garlic
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large fresh bay leaves
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon of aged Balsamic vinegar
- 1 28-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 pound mezze rigatoni, rigatoni or penne rigate
- grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
Heat a large saucepan or skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the guanciale or pancetta and cook, stirring often, until the fat renders, 3-4 minutes. Add the onions and garlic. Season with the sugar, salt, and pepper and then add the bay leaves and cook, partially covered, until the onions soften, at least 5-6 minutes. Add the chicken stock and balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring often, until absorbed into the onions, at least 2-3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with your hands as you add them to the sauce. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally until ready to serve.
Salt the boiling water and add the pasta. Cook until 1 minute shy of the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain.
Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Toss the pasta, cooking water, and a handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with the sauce until the pasta is coated. Serve in shallow bowls and pass more cheese at the table.
cookingandmyfamily 