I call it my Bacon CarboNOTTA Pasta because clearly it’s a riff on Carbonara, except I used no cream or egg yolk in this one. Actually, it uses very little oil or butter – and I even drained some of the fat from the bacon, too. Dare we say this is sorta healthy? I think we can. Here’s the recipe:
1/2 pound of pasta (I used Angel Hair), cooked and drained
2 cups of bacon, cut into pieces
1/2 cup of diced onion or shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 cup of good white wine
1/4 cup of chicken stock
1 teaspoon of black pepper
a pinch of chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon of dried Italian herbs
1 cup of frozen peas
a pinch of salt, if needed
a handful of Parmesan cheese
1. Saute the bacon until is just about crisp, remove and let drain on paper towels.
2. Ditch some of the bacon fat, leave about a teaspoon in the pan. Add in the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until it’s fragrant.
3. Add in the chicken stock and white wine and cook for a few minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pan while the liquid cooks to get all the flavor from the bottom of the pan.
4. Add in the black pepper, dried herbs, and chili flakes. Taste the sauce to see if any salt is needed. If so, add a pinch to your desired taste.
5. Toss in the bacon, peas, and pasta with the sauce and be sure to toss well.
6. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve.
