Bucatini all' Amatriciano

 My next destination is Amatrice, Italy; a town near Rome. Every summer this town holds a celebration where an aromatic dish with fresh thyme and bacon excite the sences. Bucatini all' Amatriciano; commonly refered to as Lover-style pasta. Along with the thyme and bacon, a red jalapeno pepper gives the sauce; made with Roma tomatoes; a nice zip. The dish starts off with sauteing in olive oil fresh parsley, thyme, onion, and a diced up red jalapeno. When the onion gets soft you add a 1/2 pound of diced bacon and cook for about 8 minutes; filling the kitchen with such a wonderful aroma. A splash of a good balsamic vinegar and 4 cups of chopped Roma tomatoes complete the ingrediants for the sauce. Covere and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cooked bucatini; a long hollow tube of pasta, thicker than spaghetti.  Along with the pasta I served asparagus that I sauted in olive oil and butter with Italian seasoning and homemade bread rolls with a herb and cheese topping. Boun Appetito!