Amy's Amatriciana

So the three wise men made it to the manger today, and I made it through my first week back to school…due, in part, to Amy's amatriciana, which was my dinner on Wednesday night.

Amy turned me onto this spicy pancetta and tomato sauce the summer we were in Rome and even shared her recipe—which remains unpublished on her blog— with me. I’ve made it before and it’s easy enough to make, but there’s something about hers that’s better than mine—the way I always hope my chili is better when I make it than when someone uses my recipe.

Anyway, Tuesday night I got this text: Making amatriciana, want some?

Sure! I replied.

Amy: without or without noodles?

me: I'll take some sauce. I can make it for dinner tomorrow night.

How nice it was to bring home some sauce and set it on the stove to simmer while my wine breathed and I got good and hungry, and cozy and warm. I made a small salad to start and eventually boiled my bucatini, poured a glass of wine and sat down in my pajamas to what felt like a big bowl of love: a restaurant quality meal in the comfort of my own home, made by a dear friend who sometimes keeps me both sane and sated.