Smoky Tomato Bacon Pasta Food

PASTA AND BACON IN SMOKY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate. Add onion to pan and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and paprika and bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until sauce has thickened slightly, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta. Return pasta to pot and add tomato sauce; toss to combine, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Add bacon and parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

SMOKY TOMATO CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine eggs and egg yolks, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and whisk well.
• Heat a large skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon grease (reserve any extra for another use). Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until sizzling and starting to brown, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until softened and juices start to release, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot (off the heat) and add the bacon-tomato mixture. (If necessary, use 2 tablespoons of pasta water to stir up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.)
• While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water into the beaten egg mixture until well blended. Slowly drizzle the tempered egg mixture into the pasta, tossing the pasta constantly and vigorously, until well incorporated and saucy. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle in more pasta water if a thinner consistency is desired.
• Serve in bowls with more cheese and black pepper.

FETTUCCINE WITH SMOKED TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat. Place a cooling rack over indirect heat. Place a heavy-bottomed saucepot over direct heat.
• Slice the tomatoes in half. Drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes on the cooling rack on the grill, cut-side down, to soften and take on some smoke while you make the sauce, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add a drizzle of olive oil to the saucepot along with the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until the bacon is crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, onions and crushed red pepper flakes if using and cook until the onions soften, an additional few minutes. Add the wine. Tie the fresh herbs together with a piece of butcher's twine and add to the saucepot.
• When your tomatoes have begun to soften, remove them from the grill. Remove the skins (they will come off really easy), add the tomatoes to the saucepot and season with salt and pepper. Close the grill and continue to cook the sauce until the tomatoes fully break down and the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions. Using tongs, pull the pasta out and add it directly to the tomato sauce, along with 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water. Mix to combine. The sauce will stick to the pasta. Remove the saucepot from the heat.
• Add the butter and a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta and stir to combine. Add the basil and and stir again. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan over top.
• (Alternatively, you can cook the sauce and pasta over medium-high heat on a stovetop.)

BACON AND TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• 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.

SMOKY TOMATO-BACON PASTA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and brown. Transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 1/4 cup fat from skillet.
• Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, then crumble in the bacon. Season with salt and pepper; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and chunky, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese until melted.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sauce and serve immediately.