I’ve seen lots of versions of this recipe in cookbooks and on the internet, but I have been hesitant to make it for some unknown reason. It’s basically pasta with a bacon-tomato sauce- very simple, but very good. I looked up this recipe after watching Giada make it on Giada at Home on the Food Network. The first couple of times I made it, I didn’t make the meatballs to go with it. Once I made the meatballs, I regretted it- the ketchup gives them a weird flavor, in my opinion, which Giada said she liked. Her aunt, who appeared on the show, disapproved of using ketchup in the meatballs and I completely agree. So now I make this without the meatball recipe and take her aunt’s suggestion of using a little bit of white wine and I have a quick and easy supper. I can’t find pancetta where I live, so I use some nice center-cut bacon.
Serves 1-2
Equipment
Skillet
Pot for cooking pasta
Ingredients
1/2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices of center-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 of a sweet onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
a generous 1/2 c. of crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch of red pepper flakes
a handful of Romano cheese
a splash or two of white wine
1/4 box of spaghetti
Directions
Put a pot large enough to hold the pasta on to boil. Make the sauce while waiting for the water to boil.
Put oil in a large pan (enough to hold the pasta for later) on medium heat.
Add the bacon and cook for until brown around the edges. Remove from pan and add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until you can smell the garlic, about 30 seconds. Cook the pasta for about 8-9 minutes.
Add a splash of white wine and let cook down, about one minute. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, adding the bacon halfway through. Add the cooked pasta straight from the water along with about 1/4 c. of cooking water. Stir all together and add the cheese.
