CopyCat Carrabba’s Italian Grill Cavatappi Amatriciana

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces panceta diced
1 small yellow onion peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic minced
28 ounces canned whole tomatoes in juice crushed or chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces cavatappi pasta
1/2 cup Romano cheese freshly grated, plus more for garnish
Fresh basil chiffonade, for garnish

Directions

Make the sauce by melting 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted add the panceta and cook until it’s lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook for 8 minutes, or until the onions are a deep golden color, stirring occasionally.

While the onions are cooking, crush or chop the whole tomatoes from the can, do not discard the juices. Add the tomatoes and juice from the can to the skillet. Stir in one cup of water and the red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
Once the sauce is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the cooking pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and add in the Romano cheese. Stir until combined.

Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl or portion it onto plates. Garnish with more romano cheese and some chopped basil. Serve warm.