Do you have a quick and amazing meal that you can just pull out of your pocket at a moment’s notice? An easy “rave-producer” that rocks your guests or your family with equal and absolute gusto each and every time? I’d love to hear what it is at your house. This Bacon and Tomato Pasta fills that role and fills it beautifully at ours. There’s absolutely nothing not to love about it… The winning combination of fresh tomato, garlic and basil, along with the smokiness of the bacon, a very slight “bite” from the crushed red pepper and all topped off with Parmigiano-Reggiano… how can you possibly go wrong? For only about 30 minutes of prep and cook time total, to get this kind of outcome…. it’s a dish I can’t recommend highly enough. What’s in your pocket?
Bacon and Tomato Pasta
Adapted from Guy Fieri
(Wow….of course this is unbelievably delicious!!!!!! ~Julie)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons kosher salt
14 ounces spaghetti pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red wine
5 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.
In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.
Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.
I have 2 meals that I pull out of my pocket and they are when I am either too tired to cook anything, or starving for a filling snack after dinner. One is, open a can of Heinz Vegetarian beans (which I can’t find anymore) pour it in a pan. Crack an egg into the pan, put the lid on the pan. Cook over med-low heat until the egg is set. Sounds like a hobo meal, but it’s actually very tasty and good for you! High protein, low fat. The other is throw a salad together: lettuce (I always use escarole), tomatoes, cheese cubes, some kind of beans (string beans, kidney), shredded carrots, some type of fruit (mango is good), open a can of tuna, drain it, plop it on top of the salad. Add salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and you’re in business. Or, make a tuna sandwich with mayo, tomato, escarole, toasted kaiser roll or Italian bread. Also very tasty. But these are like for when I barely have strength in my arms to cook anything! LOL! A more substantial meal is spaghetti with white clam sauce. I usually have a can of clams in the pantry and if I have some left over white wine and parsley, I’m good to go! (I always have pasta, olive oil, and garlic in the house.)
Well I have to say, you have some mighty fine options! Those all sound delicious to me. Strength or no strength! And ooooh…Spaghetti with white clam sauce! Yum! Thanks so much for sharing those. You’ve got me thinking… 🙂
This is very much like the classic Amatriciana sauce, delicious!
Yes it is, except it uses Parmesan instead of Romano, which makes it – for lack of a better word – “smoother” tasting and nuttier, which it needs because of more crushed red pepper than is typical in Amatraciana. I’ll take either one for dinner!! 🙂
Thanks for the mouth watering recipe. I will definitely try it this summer. My daughter is graduating this week from college with a culinary degree and we are always looking for new tasty recipes. Keep them coming!
Sure thing and thanks so much! How fun…. it sounds like you’re going to have a lot of great meals coming your way with your daughter… Lucky you!! 🙂
Thanks, Liz… yes, it’s so simple. I hope you do…you’ll love it! Have a great week as well!
!’m glad there is Bacon in it, I love the smokiness of bacon, yum. I shall be giving this a try because it’s really simple. I like easy life, easy recipes. Have a pleasant week!