I love a Monday that starts with pasta, don’t you? Currently, I’m all about the simplest of recipes during these long, hot summer days. I love to cook and bake so much. But summer requires low-key dinners, preferably eaten al fresco while watching the summer sunset. Ahh, that is for sure my ideal Monday night. So nice. Before I get into the details of this pasta, I first have to say thank you to you all for your response to HBH Super Simple! I am so excited that you all seem so excited for cookbook #2. I really cannot wait to share it with you all this fall. SO MANY brand new recipes, so many photos, so much deliciousness to come. Thank you again for all of your support. Lastly, I’m so thankful I was able to spend some time with my family last week in Costa Rica. I didn’t get to stay the full 10 days with everyone, but I’m so glad I at least got in some much needed time with them. I already know that the fall is going to be BUSY, but also so fun! Can’t wait for all that’s ahead in the next few months… OK. And moving right along. Let’s talk all things classic Italian style pasta. Meaning let me tell you about this Amatriciana. If you’ve traveled to Italy, you’ve probably had a bowl…or two or three. First, and most importantly, this pasta has only a handful of ingredients, yet it’s still incredibly delicious. Savory, salty, perfectly seasoned, and every bite leaves you wanting more. This recipe comes from my good friend Claire Thomas. And I’ve been dying to share it with you all ever since Claire shared it with me back in May. We had a fun girl’s night while I was in LA that consisted of pasta for two + a bottle of wine. Claire likes to call this 2-ingredient pasta, BUT actually…it’s more like 5. She uses dried bucatini pasta, guanciale, rosemary, canned cherry tomatoes, and Pecorino cheese. Her simple, but very classic, recipe was inspired from her honeymoon trip to Rome. Claire claims it was one of the best pasta dishes she’s ever eaten, and I have to agree. I was VERY skeptical, but after my first bite, I pretty much fell head over heels for this pasta. It’s heavenly…I know, dramatic…but so very true. The key to Bucatini Amatriciana is to use high-quality ingredients with only the best flavors. Great bucatini pasta, sweet canned San Marzano cherry tomatoes, and salty guanciale. Guanciale is an Italian cured meat. It’s kind of similar to bacon, but it’s not smoked and it’s pretty key in this pasta. If you can’t find it (which FYI I cannot), use unsmoked bacon or pancetta, both are great substitutes. The first thing you’ll want to do is cook the guanciale until the fat has rendered. Slowly cooking the guanciale releases the fats and all the flavors. Once the guanciale is crisp, add in fresh rosemary to infuse the fat with even more flavor. Once the sauce is simmering away, toss in the bucatini pasta, a touch of pecorino cheese, and plenty of black pepper. And. That. Is. It! Well, I like to finish each bowl of pasta with basil and more Pecorino, but that’s totally optional. I know it seems a little too easy and a little too simple, but please trust me. This classic Italian style pasta is everything you want out of a bowl of pasta. It’s salty (but in a very delicious way), a little cheesy, heavy on the tomatoes, hinted perfectly with rosemary, and just a slight bit spicy from the black pepper. DELICIOUS. What’s truly great about this Bucatini Amatriciana is that even though it is simple enough for a weeknight, it also feels elegant enough to serve at your next dinner party too. Or do as Claire and I like to do. Enjoy for a girl’s night in with a bottle of your favorite wine, and complete with your favorite chick flick. Maybe add some summery grilled peaches to round out the meal…yes, Monday night perfection! And with that, enjoy this fun video with Claire and me. See for yourself just how easy this pasta really is. PS. yes, I am very challenged when it comes to twirling pasta onto my fork. If you make this bucatini amatriciana be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite! Watch the How To Video:
