Baked potatoes ‘all’amatriciana’
Viviana Marrocoli
4
Perhaps the best comfort food, a piping-hot baked potato with this delicious, slightly spicy tomato and bacon sauce, topped with cheese.
Ingredients
- 8 medium-sized or 4 large baking potatoes
- 200g canned organic peeled tomatoes
- 100g guanciale or smoked bacon
- 60g grated pecorino cheese
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tbsp oil
- Black pepper to taste
- A small piece of chilli pepper
- Sprigs of fresh basil, to garnish
Directions
Step 1
Scrub the potatoes well. Heat the oven to 200°C (fan-assisted). Put the potatoes on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 15 mins and then turn down the oven to 170°C and bake for another 45 mins-1 hr until the flesh is soft (depending on the size of the potatoes).
Step 2
Test with a toothpick. In the meantime, prepare the sauce: in a frying pan, fry the guanciale until golden brown and set aside on paper towels. Add a clove of garlic and the chilli pepper to the bacon fat, and once the garlic is golden add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes over a medium heat.
Step 3
To serve, cut the top off the baked potato, spoon over the sauce and serve with a sprinkling of pecorino cheese and the crispy guanciale if you wish.
