Risotto all'Amatriciana

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 slices pancetta (about 2 ounces), cut in short strips
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chili peppers, or to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 2 pounds canned plum tomatoes, well drained and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 6 cups beef broth (approximately)
• 6 tablespoons grated Italian pecorino Romano cheese, plus additional for the table

1. Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy two-quart saucepan.
2. Add the onion and cook over low heat until the onion begins to soften.
3. Add the pancetta and red chili peppers and saute until the pancetta renders its fat and the onion is tender.
4. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper.
5. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the tomatoes thicken and turn into a sauce, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the rice, stir and reduce the heat slightly.
7. Heat the broth to boiling.
8. Turn the heat to very low under the broth to keep it warm.
9. Begin adding the broth to the rice mixture about half a cup at a time, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
10. As the rice absorbs the broth add more warm broth.
11. Continue adding broth until the rice is al dente, tender outside but with a little bite at its center, and the mixture is quite moist, about 25 minutes total cooking.
12. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining butter and the six tablespoons of grated pecorino Romano cheese.
13. Serve extra grated cheese at the table.

unsalted butter, onion, pancetta, red chili peppers, tomatoes, salt, arborio rice, beef broth, grated italian

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3294 (may not work)