Fearless Apron Ingredient: Mesquite Bacon
The classic pasta for this is bucatini, but we only had spaghetti on hand so that’s what we used. The magic here lies in the simmering of the sauce which resulted in deeper flavors. Instead of pancetta which is what is traditionally used, we used our Mesquite bacon for the bold, smoky taste. And yes, we doubled the amount of bacon needed.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
5 strips of Mesquite bacon, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
1.5 cups of canned Italian plum tomatoes, drained and cut up
Chopped hot red chili peppers, to taste
Salt
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated romano cheese
1 pound pasta
PROCEDURE
- Cook the pasta according to instructions to al dente stage. Set aside some pasta water. Drain and set aside the pasta.
- Put the oil, butter, and onion in a saucepan and turn on the heat to medium. Sauté the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold, then add the bacon. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice, rendering some bacon fat. Add the tomatoes, chilies, and salt and cook in an uncovered pan at a steady, gentle simmer for 25 minutes. You will see more bacon fat rendered. Taste and correct for salt and hot pepper.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce, then add both cheeses, and toss thoroughly again. If you’d like your sauce a little “looser” add a little pasta water.
Fearless Apron 