With escarole, chickpeas, it’s a simple, quick dinner

In Italy, the rich, spicy tomato sauce called Amatriciana is found on many restaurant menus.

This pasta sauce is easy to make at home. Its simple list of ingredients makes it a perfect, quick dinner for a hectic weekday night.

The tomato and smoky bacon flavors create a delicious sauce that can be served with most types of pasta.

I use 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, which makes the sauce mildly hot. If you like it scorching, add a little more, but be careful.

Traditional recipes call for pancetta, an Italian bacon that’s cured in salt and spices rather than smoked. It can be found in some specialty food stores.

I used lower-sodium, no-sugar-added bacon found in the supermarket. Just a few slices gave the sauce a wonderful, smoky flavor.

Sauteed escarole with chickpeas is a crunchy, mild-flavored side dish.

Escarole has a firm, slightly curled, pale green leaf that cooks well. Curly endive or chicory can also be used.

If these are not available, use romaine and cook for one minute instead of three.

This meal contains a total of 563 calories per serving with 22 percent of calories from fat.

Spaghetti Al Amatriciana

4 slices low-salt, no-sugar-added bacon (3 ounces)

1 cup sliced onion

2 cups canned diced or crushed tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/4 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot filled with 3 to 4 quarts water to a boil over high heat.

Trim as much fat as possible from bacon strips and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Saute in a small nonstick skillet 3 minutes. Pour off all fat.

Add onion and saute 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Simmer gently until tomatoes form a sauce, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add pasta to boiling water and cook until firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and add to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.

Yield: 2 servings

Nutrition per serving: 384 calories (22 percent from fat), 9.4 grams fat (3.3 grams saturated, 3.5 grams monounsaturated), 22 milligrams cholesterol, 17.8 grams protein, 58.2 grams carbohydrates, 5.3 grams fiber, 270 milligrams sodium.

Sauteed Escarole and Chickpeas

5 cups sliced escarole

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup rinsed and drained chickpeas

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash and dry lettuce. Slice into 2-inch strips.

Heat oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chickpeas. Saute 1 minute.

Add escarole to skillet and saute 3 minutes, stirring as it cooks. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 2 servings.

Nutrition per serving: 179 calories (23 percent from fat), 4.6 grams fat (0.6 gram saturated, 1.7 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 8.9 grams protein, 27.4 grams carbohydrates, 5.5 grams fiber, 17 milligrams sodium.