Al dente ...

Bucatini Amatriciana
Serving: 4

• 100 g pancetta, diced
• Extravergin olive oil, for brushing
  
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
  
• 1 fresh chilli, seeded and chopped
  
• 500 g tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
  
• 350 g bucatini pasta
• 40 g pecorino cheese, freshly grated
  
• salt

Brush a flameproof casserole with oil, add the pancetta and cook over a low heat until the fat runs. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and chilli, season with salt, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Cook the bucatini in a large pan of salted,boiling water until al dente, then drain and toss with the sauce in a warm serving dish adding the pecorino cheese.

Jump ... jump

Roman Saltimbocca

Serving: 4

• 100 g prosciutto slices, halved
  
• 500 g veal escalopes
  
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves
  
• 50 g butter
  
• 100 ml dry withe wine
  
• salt

Saltimbocca means "jump into the mouth".
Place a half-slice of prosciutto on each escalope, put a sage leaf on top and fasten with a cocktail stick. Melt the butter in a fying pan and cook the veal over a high heat on both sides until golden brown. Season with salt, pour in the wine and cook until it has evaporated, then remove the cocktail sticks and serve.

A mediterranean recipe

Pasta alla Norma

Serving:4

• 350 g spaghetti
• 2 Aubergines (eggplant)
• 4-5 ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• fresh basil
• seasoned ricotta or pecorino cheese (for grating)
• extravergin olive oil

Once sliced, the aubergines are to be sprinkled with coarse salt, placed under a weight and left for the juices to run out. Sautè the chopped onion, the crushed garlic ad a few basil leaves in 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Toss in the tomatoes, roughly chopped, with a pinch of salt and reduce it all gently (15-20 minutes). Rinse the aubergine, dab dry and brown with olive oil in a frying pan. Boil the spaghetti in salted water, drain al dente and stir into the tomato souce, dredging with grated seasoned ricotta cheese. Add the aubergine, diced finely, a couple of sliced basil leaves and another liberal sprinkling of cheese.