We've taken the idea of the beloved, tomatoey, bacon-flecked Amatriciana pasta sauce – originally hailing from the town of Amatrice in Italy's Lazio region – and tossed in a few green additions. There's zucchini for balance, basil for fragrance and a peppery side salad of rocket to round it all out. You'll wonder where this simple dish has been all your life!
Half fill a large saucepan with salted water and place over high heat. Bring to the boil.
Halve zucchini lengthways and thinly slice into half moons.
Cook pasta in salted, boiling water for 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving 40ml (2 tablespoons) cooking water.
Heat 20ml (1 tablespoon) oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until golden. Add amatriciana sauce and simmer for 2–3 minutes or until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place rocket in a salad bowl with a spoonful of parmesan. Juice lemon, add to a bowl with remaining oil and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the rocket leaves.
Pick basil leaves from their stems and stir through pasta sauce. Add parmesan and pasta and stir to coat. Divide between bowls and serve with rocket salad.