Bucatini: Rome's Hollow Hero
That Pasta You Had In Rome That was Like Spaghetti but Better? That's Bucatini!
If you were to sit in a bustling trattoria in the heart of Rome, the rhythmic sound of slurping is almost a guarantee. The culprit? Bucatini. At first glance, it might look like a slightly thicker version of spaghetti, but a closer inspection reveals the secret that has made it a legend of Lazio: a tiny, hollow hole running straight through the centre.
It is a pasta shape that demands respect, a bit of technique to eat, and an appetite for bold, Roman flavours.
The Where: The Roman Heartland
While its exact origins are debated among pasta historians, Bucatini is the undisputed champion of Rome and the surrounding Lazio region. The name comes from the Italian word buco, meaning "hole."
In the regional hierarchy of Italian pasta, Bucatini occupies a special place. It is the sophisticated cousin of the more rural perciatelli. In Rome, pasta is not merely a vehicle for sauce; it is the star of the show. Bucatini was designed for the robust, peppery, and often pork-heavy sauces that define Roman cuisine—dishes that require a pasta with enough "backbone" to stand up to intense heat and fat.
The How: The Magic of the Hole
The production of Bucatini is a fascinating feat of engineering. Unlike flat pasta that is rolled or simple shapes that are pinched, Bucatini is an extruded pasta.
The dough, made from high-quality durum wheat semolina and water, is forced through a circular bronze die with a central pin. This creates the characteristic straw-like tube. The use of bronze dies is crucial here; it gives the exterior of the pasta a rough, matte texture.
This "hollow" design serves two vital purposes:
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Even Cooking: The hole allows boiling water to cook the pasta from both the inside and the outside simultaneously, ensuring a perfectly consistent al dente bite.
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Sauce Delivery: Most importantly, the hollow centre acts like a straw, drawing thin sauces and oils inside the pasta, ensuring that every strand is seasoned inside and out.
The What: The Classic Roman Service
In Rome, there is one dish that stands above all others when it comes to this shape: Bucatini all’Amatriciana.
This iconic sauce is made with guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino romano cheese, and tomato. The hollow centre of the Bucatini is perfectly sized to trap the rendered fat of the pork and the acidity of the tomatoes.
It is also frequently served alla Gricia (the "white" version of Amatriciana) or with a rich Cacio e Pepe. Be warned: because Bucatini is thicker and hollow, it is famously "springy." Eating it is a skill; it tends to flick sauce if you aren't careful, which is all part of the authentic Roman dining experience.
Bucatini at the Carluccio’s Online Deli
At Carluccio’s, we know that an authentic Roman meal is only as good as the grain it’s built on. Our Bucatini, available through our online deli, is sourced from expert Italian pastai who honour the traditional bronze-die method.
Our version is made with 100% durum wheat, providing that essential nutty flavour and the structural integrity needed to survive a vigorous tossing in the pan. Because it has that rough, artisanal finish, it is the perfect partner for the bolder items in our larder.
Try pairing our Bucatini with our ready-to-go, authentic Amatriciana sauce - perfect for a quick midweek meal, or indeed, make your own Amatriciana via our recipe.
