Summer Amatriciana Sauce

Serve this pancetta-spiked tomato sauce over 1 pound of cooked bucatini or perciatelli, with a sprinkling of freshly grated Pecorino Romano. Or if you're not in the mood for pasta, it's also good over seared pork chops or polenta, or as a topping for pizza.

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (to yield about 2 cups)
• Two 1/4-inch-thick slices pancetta, cut into short strips (1/4 inch wide and 1/2 inch long)
• 1-1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste

In a 10- or 11-inch sauté pan, heat the oil and onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until the pancetta has begun to render its fat and the onion and pancetta are roughly the same muted shade of purple, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cayenne, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a lively but not too vigorous simmer, until the tomatoes have been reduced to a thick, pulpy sauce, 15 to 20 minutes.

To serve with pasta

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of abundantly salted water to a vigorous boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain it well. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if needed. Toss the pasta with three-quarters of the sauce and divide among individual serving bowls. Spoon a little of the remaining sauce over each serving and sprinkle on the cheese, if you like.