Bucatini

Bucatini is a thick, spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center. The name comes from Italian: buco meaning "hole", while bucato means "pierced." It is common throughout Lazio, particularly Rome.

The pasta is made from durum wheat flour and water. The diameter of the noodle is slightly larger than spaghetti, typically around 3mm, and the hole running through the center allows the sauce to penetrate both inside and outside of the noodle, enhancing the flavor.

Bucatini is typically cooked until al dente and is well-suited to rich, robust sauces. A classic Roman preparation is Bucatini all'Amatriciana, featuring guanciale, tomatoes, pecorino romano cheese, and chili flakes. Other popular pairings include sauces with seafood, vegetables, or other meats. Due to its slightly chewy texture and hollow core, it is often preferred in dishes where the sauce is meant to cling to and fill the pasta.