Salsa All'Amatricina (well, sort of...)

So, why the "well, sort of..." after the title?  Okay, everyone.... t's confession time again - here we go:   Sometimes I don't pay attention to certain tiny little details.  Let me explain...  I have been wanting to make Giada's recipe for Salsa All'Amatricina for quite awhile now... nothing stopping me other than too many recipes/ideas, not enough time... I finally decided to try it and got my grocery list together and double and triple checked it to make sure I had everything.  I go to the store, purchase my items, get home, put the groceries away, all is well.  Fast forward to the next day, I scan the recipe, grab the ingredients and all of a sudden it hits me.....  I bought prosciutto - the recipe called for pancetta!!!  How in the world do you confuse the two???  Well, I'll tell you how... I WROTE prosciutto - even though I double and triple checked, I obviously didn't pay attention to that tiny little detail as I wrote down the wrong ingredient!!  I couldn't let it stop me at that point, though, I was too deep into it to turn back, so I "rolled the dice" (so to speak) and went with what I had.  It turned out to be a wonderful mistake!  Oh sure, the pancetta probably would have been better, but this was still really fantastic!  I guess it's okay to make mistakes from time to time... you might just end up with something magical!

Salsa All'Amatricina
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
10-12 oz. ziti pasta
1 large chicken breast, cooked and roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 oz prosciutto, diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28oz) can tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons dry red wine
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and allow heat up a minute or two.  Add the onion and saute for 5-8 minutes, or until they start to turn translucent.  Add the garlic and saute another minute.  Add the prosciutto and red pepper flakes and saute another 2 minutes.  Slowly stir in the tomato puree, salt, pepper, and wine.  Bring sauce to a simmer and reduce heat to low.  Add the cooked chicken and simmer for 10 minutes.  Taste for seasoning. Toss pasta into sauce and serve with warm crusty bread.  Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

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