This typically Roman pasta dish was traditionally made with guanciale, but since that ingredient used to be very hard to find outside of Italy, and the Lazio region in particular, pancetta has became a common substitute. This is changing and guanciale can now be found at certain specialty food stores here in America. While you can still make a great Amatriciana with pancetta, if you are able to find guanciale, you should try using it at least once.

Made from cured pork jowl, guanciale is softer and has a higher ratio of fat than pancetta, resulting in a richer sauce. That being said, with either ingredient it is still my favorite pasta dish. So no need to get too caught up in being “traditional”.

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 40 min | Total time: 50 min

Serves 4

2 tblsp of olive oil
1/4 of a pound pancetta or guanciale, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can of imported Italian tomatoes
salt to taste
1 pound of bucatini pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta or guanciale and cook, stirring often, until goldenbrown, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until garlic is golden, about 1 minute longer.

2. Crush tomatoes and add with juices to pan. Add salt pepper and a little water. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes.

3. While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the bucatini. Cook uncovered over high heat until al dente.

4. Drain the pasta, then add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the Pecorino Pomano to the sauce in the saucepan and toss well. Transfer to warm serving plates and serve immediately, with the remaining Pecorino Romano on the side.

I feel like I have been beating the simplicity theme into the ground the past few weeks, but the fact of the matter is, this is how I cook in the summer. There are so many great seasonal ingredients that I look forward to all year, and I want to put them front and center in the dishes I eat. Plus, it’s too hot to cook anything too complicated or involved.

Zucchini and yellow squash are two of these ingredients that I look forward to so much. Sure you can get them all year round in the supermarket, but they are so much better when they are from your own garden or a local farm. This recipe comes from my Aunt Maria who is an awesome cook.

Pasta with Summer Squash Recipe

Serves 4-6

1 pound farfalle, penne or fusilli pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound small squash such as zucchini or yellow squash, sliced thinly
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese
4 large basil leaves, washed, patted dry and chopped

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook uncovered over high heat.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the squash, red pepper and salt. Cook stirring occasionally until squash is starting to soften about 8 minutes.
3. When pasta is cooked to just under al dente reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
4. Add the pasta, Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese, half of the chopped basil and the reserved cooking water to the pan with the squash, and stir together over the heat until well combined.
5. Transfer the pasta to serving plates. Sprinkle with remaining basil and serve.

In Italian the word scottadito means burned fingers. This dish is named scottadito because the lamb chops are so delicious that you can’t resist eating them sizzling hot, straight from the grill and burning your fingers.

Serves 4

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
12 rib lamb chops

1. In a small bowl stir together the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the lamb chops in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them, turn the cops to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. Start a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill. Place the chops on the rack over high heat and grill turning once, 5 minutes per side for medium rare. The outside will be well seared with the insides still pink.

3. Transfer to a warm platter and serve immediately.