How long does it take to make Pasta in Tomato Sauce with Browned Meat?

Fry diced pancetta in olive oil over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the fat renders and it is very crisp, and lift out with a slotted spoon; fry onion in the same pan for about 5 minutes.

43 minTotal

10 minActive time

33 minSetting

Step by Step

#	What to do	How long
1	Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water (4¼ cups of water and a heaping teaspoon of salt for every 4 oz of pasta), following the package directions (taste about 2 minutes early)	10 min
2	Reserve cup of the cooking water before draining	—
3	Drain	3 min
4	Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat' and fry the pancetta, stirring	3 min
5	Add the onion and fry' 5 minutes'	5 min
6	'Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. 'Turn down to medium-low heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring now and then	20 min
7	Return the pancetta to the sauce, add the drained pasta and a little of the cooking water and toss well	1 min
8	Serve with the cheese on top	1 min

How to Tell It's Done

until al dente
until the fat renders and the meat is crisp
until it softens
until the sauce thickens

Tips

The cooking water is starchy: a spoonful or two binds the sauce to the pasta or the gnocchi and makes it glossy.
Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
Return the crisp meat only with the pasta: that way it stays crisp instead of softening in the simmering sauce.

Common Mistakes

The water should taste like a seasoned soup, not like sea water: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter. Add the salt once the water is boiling.
What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.

More Ways

Cook the tomatoes with chili flakes, salt and pepper for about 20 minutes at a simmer, and return the meat to the pan only with the pasta; stir in the cheese off the heat.
Reduce the wine until about half of it is absorbed and evaporated, and only then add the tomatoes.
Cured pork cheek and pecorino: 300 g meat and 150 g cheese for 500 g bucatini, and 4 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water for the sauce.

The full recipe: Pasta in Tomato Sauce with Browned Meat →