This traditional Italian pasta recipe features salty bacon and smoky ham, coated in a simple sauce comprised of tomatoes, garlic, and wine; tossed with spaghetti, or the pasta of your choosing, and topped with fresh Parmesan and basil.

Leftover Makeover

I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for ways to use up leftovers in a way that transforms what’s just leftover into something unique and entirely different from the original dish. One of the holiday dishes I’m often left with an abundance of: Ham. Damn ham.

In case you missed it and want to try a variation on the traditional holiday ham, I am including the link for for Just Peachy Bourbon Glazed Ham below.

I never learned to cook for one or two. Admittedly, I never really even tried. Blame it on the rain, or the way I was raised, but when cooking dinner, I tend to make enough to feed at least 4-5 people. To be clear, there are typically only 2 people eating the dinner I have prepared: my husband and myself.

Our beloved and faithful, furry companion, Josey, would love to be invited to the dinner table. However, her table manners certainly leave something to be desired and alas, she is resigned to the floor beneath the table. Typically with her head in my lap; or whoever’s lap she deems the most likely to give in to her adorably pathetic, begging gaze; on the rare occasion when we have company for dinner.

That being said, I never felt the need to adjust my cooking style. This is due in part to the simple fact that, the way I see it, if I am going to go to the trouble of planning, prepping, and cooking all evening (not to mention the cleanup afterwards), I may as well make enough to make it worth my time and effort. I mean, who in this world, finds themselves with the time and energy it takes to cook an entire meal Every. Single. Night?

Not me. (Not me. Not me.)

When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie, that’s Amore

I am not a huge fan of most leftovers. Typically, I am super into eating a dish once, maybe twice, at the max.

Unless it’s pizza. I could eat pizza all day, everyday, from just about anywhere. I mean, when pizza’s on a bagel, you can eat pizza any time. That sentiment applies to pizza, regardless of its base, in my book. I literally just ate cold, leftover pizza for breakfast this morning.

But alas, we are not here today to talk about pizza. Today, we are here to talk about another spectacular, albeit less known, dish, gifted to us by those Italian culinary masters: Spaghetti Amatriciana. Grazie, you beautiful people!

In addition to its downright deliciousness, Amatriciana is the perfect way to use up that leftover ham from your holiday—or any other type of meal—turning it into an unrecognizable, yet completely crave-worthy dinner. It’s a supremely simple, one-pot recipe that you may have never heard of. Once you try it, you will want to make this dish again and again, with/without the need to use up leftover ham.

Mambo Italiano

“Hey, Mambo! Mambo Italiano…” Good luck getting that song unstuck from your head. I’ve literally been singing it for days. Not to be confused with Mambo No. 5. Even though everyone needs a little bit of Monica in their life. Unsurprisingly, this week’s kitchen playlist will be filled with classics sung by the greats: Dean Martin, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Brooke Benton, Dinah Washington, and the like.

There’s nothing quite like that feeling you get when you walk into the kitchen, turn on your Bose bluetooth speaker, and turn up your playlist just a little too loud. Then you pour yourself your first glass of wine, take a sip, and get to work. I love that feeling I get in my kitchen, my space, with my music and wine; singing along as I prep and cook, filling the air with the scrumptious scents of onion, garlic, bacon, and ham.

This recipe is great for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, I know I’ve said it before, but I cannot say this enough: It is delicious. Also previously stated, it can be made using one pot, which means less cleanup afterwards. Lastly, it’s so simple that you can make it even when you’re a little bit sauced. Plus, if you have the onion, ham, and bacon pre-chopped as I often do, this dish can be ready in as little as 30 minutes.

When in Rome

If you subscribe to my newsletter, you already know that the impetus for this blog came in part from a cookbook that my mother and grandmother put together for my sisters and I. My mom had the ingenious idea to collect all of our family’s treasured recipes, along with the history and tales that accompanied them, to pass down to the next generation. It is one of my most prized possessions.

It was especially important to gather the recipes and knowledge from my grandma at that time, as her memory was sadly starting to slip. It was heartbreaking to watch a woman with so many stories to tell, begin to lose bits and pieces of them, a little bit at a time. She had so much to share, not the least of which included her knowledge of cooking, her travels, and history. Luckily, many of those stories and recipes were captured in the cookbook that my mom created and compiled for my sisters and me.

Now those tales are secured in writing, safe from the potential perils of the human mind. I strive to do the same by typing this blog: a way to save and share all of our family traditions.

The family cookbook that mom and grandam created contains the recipe from my Grandma Nancy for this Spaghetti Amatriciana. According to the note that she wrote to accompany this recipe:

“This recipe originated in a town named Grisciana in Italy. The town of Amatrice is the name of a town nearby Grisciana. I guess someone thought that Spaghetti Amatriciana sounded better than Spaghetti Griciana but who knows for sure? Not me!

I first tasted and fell in love with this spaghetti when I visited Tinie and Dick in Naples, Italy. They introduced this dish to me and I knew I needed the recipe right away.”

Nancy Easter-Shick

Spaghetti Amatriciana

Ingredients

• 1-2 c. ham (leftover or otherwise), diced into cubes
• 1 lb. bacon, chopped
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 1 box spaghetti, angel hair, bucatini, or other pasta
• 2 c. finely chopped white or yellow onion
• 1/2 c. dry white or red wine
• 1-2 Tbsp. minced garlic (according to taste)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• For garnish: 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese and fresh basil

Instructions

1. Cook and drain pasta in a large pot, according to directions on package; set aside.
2. Using the same pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium-high heat until it begins to crisp.
3. Add the chopped ham to pot and continue cooking on medium-high, until bacon is fully crisped and the diced ham begins to brown. Remove all meat from pan and place on paper towel-lined plate.
4. Reduce stovetop heat to medium. Add olive oil to the same pot you cooked the bacon and ham in. Heat the oil for approximately one minute before adding the diced onions. Sautee onions over medium heat until they begin to soften.
5. Add the minced garlic and cook until garlic becomes fragrant and onions begin to brown, approximately 1-2 minutes more.
6. Slowly stir the wine into the onion and garlic mixture and continue cooking over medium heat until half of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the diced tomatoes. Then, add the ham and bacon back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Simmer on medium-low for approximately 10 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat.
8. For a one-pot meal, you may add the cooked pasta back into the same pot at this point and toss with the Amatriciana sauce, coating evenly.
9. Or, if you’re feeling fancy (Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down), you may pour the drained noodles into a large pasta bowl, top with the Amatriciana sauce, and toss to combine. Top this dish with shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

This is a very versatile pasta dish that pairs well with a dry red, such as a Pinot Noir, which will balance out the acidity from the tomato sauce. Or, pair it with a semi-sweet white or red such as Riesling or Grenache to contrast with the salty, smoky flavors of the bacon and ham. You can even use the wine you’re drinking (while cooking, with dinner, and/or after dinner) in the sauce for Spaghetti Amatriciana.

I discuss the reasons for using real wine in your recipes versus purchasing “cooking wine” in the grocery aisle in more detail within my Chicken Bacon Wine Skillet blog, the link for which is included below.

Chicken Bacon Wine Skillet

By now, you all know the drill: Please comment, share, like & subscribe. More importantly, try these recipes— especially this one! You will not be disappointed. Ciao!