Sugo all’amatriciana (amatriciana sauce for all us English speaking, less sexy sounding peeps) is a classic Italian sauce hailing from the town of Amatrice. Why did I think I should tell you that? I don’t know, but I did, so you can thank me later.

This is the side story that will inadvertently lead me to making this dish for our dinner tonight.

BACON WEEK

Muther effer what??

Yeah that’s right, it’s national bacon week. I don’t know who’s god it was that decided to bless our land with this celebration (I could almost guarantee it wasn’t Allah though), but bless them. Bless their cotton socks. It’s times like these that make me truly happy to be an Australian. Why, I’m so happy I could run naked through the streets, concealing my throbbing member with nothing more than a strip of (freakishly large) bacon. This week of bacon-ness should be enough to give the people a little glimmer of hope, and forget for a moment about the some how elected clown who is running the circus that is our government. It is a time to smile and reflect on the day that little baby Jesus created this multi use, can make any food more desirable, endorphin releasing, erection sustaining, child creating, cured pork product. Thank you Jesus… thank you for the bacon.

I think I have made it clear now that I love bacon. But I am truly sorry, and even a little ashamed to admit, that I had forgotten about bacon week until yesterday. Please though, before you beat me to death with boxes of prize winning root vegetables, allow me to try and redeem myself. This week I shall be eating bacon like a man possessed… and I’ll start right here and now with this pasta. Pasta amatriciana.

Traditionally made with guanciale (a spiced and cured pork cheek given to the world by our Italian friends, and we should definitely all write letters to Italy to thank them for it) but, because of this whole bacon week thing, I shall be making it with bacon. And another thing; when I say I shall be making it, I really mean my youngest son Obi shall be making it. Yeah, that’s how we roll in the northern rivers of New South Wales!

Interesting side note; it is a fact that child slaves are the next best thing to carnies, only losing out narrowly because of the laws prohibiting us from beating them.

This is indubitably another candidate for #easytastygood

PASTA AMATRICIANA (for 4)
6-7 rashers of bacon, chopped
1 brown onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ long red chilli, sliced
2 anchovy fillets (not very traditional but I like it)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 600ml bottle of tomato passata
Seasoning
Enough cooked pasta for four people
Grated parmesan or pecorino to serve
Forks and bowls to serve
• Sauté everything except tomato until softened and starting to colour. It will smell delicious and you will probably want to eat it on toast as it is but you should resist the urge – dinner will be on the table in 10 minutes or so
• Add the passata and simmer for 10 minutes so the bacon can spread it’s love through the sauce, like a GI spreading syphilis through a small Vietnamese village
• Check the seasoning. It may not need salt because of the bacon and anchovies, but a bit of pepper will be nice
• Stir through the pasta and serve with parmesan, via a fork, straight into your face!