Back in the ‘90s, there was a popular saying: “Thursday is the new Friday.” Well, I don’t know if that’s true these days, but, back then, my husband and I and our good friends Suzi and Eddie headed to downtown Harrisburg on Thursday for our weekly night out.
Thursday was perfect for us because, for years, Friday evenings were devoted to our kids’ high school sports. Harrisburg’s “Restaurant Row” had not yet arrived. We frequented the city standbys of the day. The Zephyr Express at 2nd and South streets usually had lines that snaked out the door, but the black bean pasta, killer bread and Long Island iced tea were worth waiting for. Thursday was lasagna night at the iconic Subway Cafe on Herr and, when paired with the café’s signature fishbowl of beer, what could be better? We also were regulars at Garrason’s Tavern on Forster (now Sturges Speakeasy) where the Cajun shrimp was the best.
Our children are now grown, and we have reverted back to “Friday Night Out,” eagerly anticipated every week, even for one who loves to cook. But what to do with Thursdays?
Thursday arrives at the near-end of a tiring workweek, and I often look for something easy to cook. Many years ago, I started whipping up a quick pasta dish with some kitchen staples I usually have on hand: thick cut bacon from the Farmers’ Market, sweet onion, fresh Italian parsley and chopped garlic. I often add some tomato paste and red pepper flakes, although the pasta is simply prepared and good without it. I sauté this mixture in lots of good olive oil and toss it with any pasta I have around. Served with some cooked broccoli or a green salad, it is truly “fast food.”
I have learned this recipe is not my own. It is “Pasta all’Amatriciana,” named for a little town near Rome called Amatrice, a place known for its excellent pork. Italians typically use guanciale or cured pork cheek for this dish, but pancetta or rolled pork belly is often substituted. Both of these products are cured with salt, pepper and garlic rather than smoked like typical bacon. I find that I like bacon more than pancetta because, to me, pancetta imparts a fatty taste to dishes. And, aside from stealing some guanciale from Mangia Qui (Harrisburg’s gem of a Mediterranean restaurant on North Street), I have no idea where to find it. Bucatini is the pasta of choice for this recipe but so many other types, like spaghetti, fettuccini or linguine, work just as well. You might even try it with whole grain pasta, and I never thought I would say that!
As I have said so often here, good fast food can be made at home. Pasta all’Amatriciana is quick and easy to prepare, and it is wonderful re-heated the next day for lunch. I have taken a few liberties with the classic recipe, especially by using my favorite bacon, which is smoked rather than cured, and often using farfalle or bowties and even shells. But it’s Thursday. And who has time to go looking for a pork cheek?
What you’ll need:
1 large sweet onion (like Vidalia) Several cloves fresh garlic
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon Olive oil
1/2 cup tomato paste (I use “Amore” which comes in a tube, or substitute chopped canned tomatoes, drained)
Red pepper flakes
Several handfuls chopped Italian parsley Pasta
Rosemary’s Pasta All’Amatriciana
Chop the onion, garlic and bacon into medium dice. Combine all three ingredients in a large skillet with several splashes of good olive oil and sauté until soft and golden in color (you will love the smell as this cooks).
Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes to taste and stir well. It is best to keep the heat at medium-low to avoid burning.
When the mixture is almost cooked, add the parsley. Only cook a minute or two to keep the parsley a bright green.
Toss with your favorite pasta and serve with a salad or fresh vegetable (even if your spouse sees no need for something green especially after eating “veggies” all week).
I usually add extra olive oil or some of the pasta cooking water as I’m tossing all the ingredients together to keep everything moist.
Rosemary Ruggieri Baer, a first generation Italian-American, grew up in Harrisburg and has spent her life perfecting her mother’s country cooking.
