3584. BACON, MISO and CARROT PASTA

serves two


For the carrots:

2 medium carrots

olive oil

salt and black pepper

For the pasta:

4 oz (115g) thick cut bacon

1 large green onion

2 tablespoons miso paste, I use dark

4 cups cooked short pasta, such as fusilli, al dente

salt and freshly ground black pepper

handful of chopped parsley

4 tablespoons grated parmesan

For the carrots: Preheat oven to 350ºF /180ºC. Peel and cut the carrots in small chunks. Scatter them in an oven tray, drizzle some olive oil on top, season with salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes, until tender but still crunchy.

For the pasta: Cut the bacon in small pieces and finely slice the green onion. Heat a skillet with 2 inch sides over low heat, add the bacon and cook slowly until most of the fat is rendered. If it’s still dry, add a few tablespoons olive oil. Add ¾ of chopped onion to the pan. Cook for a minute stirring once. Add miso and stir to mix. Add about ¼ cup hot water and mix so that it makes a sauce. Add the carrots and the cooked pasta. If it’s too dry add a couple more tablespoons of hot water. Don’t cook it too much so the pasta remains al dente. Taste and add salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer to the serving plate or plates. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, remaining green onion and grated cheese. Drizzle with extra olive oil if you want.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Paulo Montenegro, Vintage Kitchen Notes (@VintageKitchen1), August 22, 2013

2983. FUSILLI with BACON, ONIONS and MUSHROOMS

makes four servings


coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
1 large yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (3 cups)
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices (3 cups)
3/4 pound fusilli or other short pasta
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint or parsley leaves, chopped
2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese, finely grated (3/4 cup)

While bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, heat oil and bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until bacon fat is rendered and bacon is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 8 minutes.

Pushing onion and bacon to edge of skillet, add mushrooms to center, in a single layer as much as possible. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, without stirring, until mushrooms begin to sizzle and brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle mushrooms with salt, and stir onion and bacon into mushrooms. Cook mixture, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes.

When water boils, add pasta to boiling water, and cook until almost al dente, about 10 minutes (do not drain water). Transfer pasta to skillet using a strainer. Reduce heat to low, and gradually stir in 1 cup pasta water, about 1/2 cup at a time. Toss over low heat until sauce is silky and pasta is well coated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Turn off heat. Stir in mint or parsley, and half the cheese. Season with pepper. Divide among 4 bowls, and top with remaining cheese.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Martha Stewart Living, April 2012

2708. (GLUTEN-FREE) FUSILLI with BACON, SPINACH and TOMATO

makes four servings


Kosher salt for pasta water

1/2 pound (8 ounces) bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed (with the flat side of a large knife) and peeled
1 package (10 ounces) chopped spinach, thawed and drained completely dry
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 pound (16 ounces) gluten-free fusilli (or other short, fat pasta)
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Set a large pot of water to boil, and salt it liberally with kosher salt. While the water is boiling, in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until most of its fat is rendered (about 5 to 7 minutes), stirring frequently.  Add the onion and garlic, and cook, still stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the garlic is soft and fragrant (about 5 to 7 minutes more). If you’re not a big fan of garlic, remove and discard the smashed cloves.  They’ve done their job.  Add the spinach and tomatoes, and stir to combine well. When the water boils, cook the pasta according to package directions, and then drain it, leave a bit of the pasta water behind with the pasta.  Add the butter to the hot pasta, and toss until the butter melts. Add the pasta to the bacon-spinach-tomato mixture, and toss gently to combine everything in a large bowl. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nicole Hunn, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, March 31, 2010

2437. FUSILLI with SCAMORZA and BACON

yields four servings


400 grams fusilli
100 grams bacon in cubes
30 grams butter
150 grams smoked scamorza
3/4 cup cream
salt to taste
black pepper

Let salted water boil for fusilli. In the meantime prepare the sauce in this way: place in a pan the butter and the cubes of bacon and let them brown. Then add the cream and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Cut the scamorza in cubes. When the water boils add the fusilli. and let them cook as indicated on the pack. When fusilli are ready, drain and put them on the pan of the sauce together with the scamorza. Mix all together in order to melt the scamorza. If you want you can sprinkle with some Parmesan. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bella Italia, Centro Direzionale, Isola E2, 80143, Naples, Italy

1809. FUSILLI with ALFREDO SAUCE, PEAS and BACON

yields four servings


12 oz fusilli
8 slices bacon
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups frozen peas
1 cup alfredo sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon each chopped garlic and Dijon mustard
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Boil fusilli as package directs, reserving 1 cup cooking water before draining. Meanwhile pan fry bacon in a large nonstick skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels; coarsely crumble. Pour off all but 1 tsp fat from skillet. Heat skillet; add shredded carrots and sauté 1 minute until almost tender. Add frozen peas, Alfredo sauce, garlic and mustard, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Toss with drained pasta, bacon and reserved cooking water as needed.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, April 1, 2007

1534. BAKED PASTA with ONION, BACON and BRIE

makes four servings


4 ounces sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
12 ounces Brie, rind removed, cheese cut into 1-inch chunks
12 ounces fusilli
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. In a deep, medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk until the sauce is thickened and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the Brie until completely melted.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fusilli until al dente; drain well.

Add the fusilli to the sauce in the skillet and toss. Add the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to an 8-inch baking dish and sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Broil for 5 minutes, until the cheese is golden, shifting the pan for even browning.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Grace Parisi, Food & Wine

1440. FUSILLI with SWISS CHARD, GARBANZO BEANS and BACON

yields four main-dish servings


12 ounces whole wheat fusilli or rotini pasta
1 bunch (1-pound) Swiss chard, tough ends trimmed
1 slice bacon, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 clove garlic, crushed with press
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 can (15- to 19-ounce) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs.

Meanwhile, cut ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves. Cut ribs and stems into 1-inch pieces; cut leaves into 2-inch pieces. Rinse Swiss chard in large bowl of cold water; swish to remove any dirt. Transfer chard to colander. Do not spin dry.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon on medium-high until browned, tossing occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reduce heat to medium. To bacon fat in skillet, add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add Swiss chard, beans, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until chard begins to wilt. Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer or until stems are tender-crisp.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Return pasta to saucepot. Stir in Swiss chard mixture and lemon juice until combined. If mixture seems dry, add reserved pasta cooking water.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Good Housekeeping

1178. ZUCCHINI, CORN, and BASIL FUSILLI with BACON

makes 6 servings


6 bacon slices
1 pound fusilli
3 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 (5- to 7-ounce) container basil pesto

Accompaniment: grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels; discard drippings from skillet.

Meanwhile, cook fusilli in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quart water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then add vegetables to pasta in pot and cook, partially covered, 2 minutes (water will stop boiling). Drain.

Add pasta with vegetables to skillet along with pesto and 1/4 cup reserved cooking water and toss. Season with salt and moisten with additional cooking water if necessary.

Top with crumbled bacon and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.


courtesy of: Melissa Roberts, Gourmet, July 2008

1056. CREAMY FUSILLI with YELLOW SQUASH and BACON

serves 4


Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces fusilli
4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
4 medium yellow squash (8 ounces each), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese, plus more for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium. Add bacon, and cook until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave bacon fat in skillet). Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash and garlic to fat in skillet; season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover, and continue to cook until liquid is evaporated and squash is tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add cream and cooked pasta to skillet; toss well, and cook until cream begins to thicken. Remove from heat; stir in Asiago, and add enough reserved pasta water to create a sauce that coats pasta. Serve topped with reserved bacon and more cheese.


courtesy of: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food

974. PEAS, BACON and RICOTTA SAUCE for PASTA

1 lbs. fresh, young peas. unshelled weight, or 1/2 of a 10-oz. package of tiny frozen peas, thawed
1/4 lb. bacon, preferably lean, slab bacon
salt
1/4 lbs. fresh ricotta
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus additional cheese at table
black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 lb. pasta

Recommended pasta: First choice goes to conchiglie for the deftness with which its hollows catch the sauce, but both fusilli and rigatoni are excellent alternative.

If using fresh peas: shell them, discard the pods, rinse them in cold water, and cook them in a small amount of simmering water until they are just tender. The time varies greatly depending on the freshness and youth of the peas.

If using thawed frozen peas: Begin the sauce at step 2.

Cut the bacon into short, narrow strips. Put it into a small saut'e pan, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook until it becomes very lightly browned, but not crisp, and the fat melts. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan.

Put the cooked fresh peas or the thawed frozen peas in the pan with the bacon. Cook at medium heat for about 1 or 2 minutes, stirring to coat the peas thoroughly.

Put the ricotta in the bowl the pasta will subsequently be tossed in, and crumble with a fork. Add the butter.

Cook and drain the pasta, and put it in the bowl, tossing it immediately with the ricotta and the butter. Rapidly warm up the peas and bacon, and pour the entire contents of the pan onto the pasta. Toss thoroughly, add the grate Parmesan and 2 or 3 grindings of pepper, toss once or twice again, and serve at once, with more grated on the side.


courtesy of: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. Marcella Hazan and Alfred A. Knopf, 1992

955. GRILLED FLOUNDER PASTA with MUSSELS and CLAMS in a BACON and CREAM SAUCE

serves 4


2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices partially cooked bacon, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 zucchini, grilled and thinly sliced
¼ cup Riesling wine
salt, to taste
½ cup heavy cream,
4 x 6-8 oz flounder fillets, boneless and skinless
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon barbecue seasoning
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 lb. clams
1 lb. mussels
drizzle beer
2-3 portions pre-cooked fusilli pasta

To prepare the Bacon and Cream Sauce, in a sauté pan, add butter, red onion, onion, garlic and bacon. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing to combine. Add rosemary, thyme and grilled zucchini and toss to combine. Reduce heat to low.

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 500°F).

Season flounder fillets with salt and barbecue seasoning, pressing the spices into the flesh to adhere. Sprinkle seasoned flounder fillets with breadcrumbs and pat into flesh to form a crust.

Place crusted flounder fillets, clams and mussels onto the grill. Drizzle the clams and mussels with a little beer and close lid, allowing the mussels and clams to steam and the flounder to grill. Gently turn the flounder fillets and continue grilling until fish is just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, being careful not to over cook the flounder, which is a very lean fish.

While the fish and seafood grills and steams add the Riesling wine to the sautéed vegetables to deglaze the pan. Bring to the boil and season with salt to taste. Add the heavy cream, reduce heat to low and simmer. Add the precooked fusilli and toss to combine.

To serve, place the pasta in a bowl. Garnish the pasta with clams and mussels in an alternating pattern around the pasta, discarding any un-open clams or mussels. Carefully remove flounder from grill and place in the center of the pasta. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Fishing the Flats, with Henry Waszczuk, 1299 Gillespie Avenue, North Port, Florida 34286, (941) 423-8650

830. FUSILLI with ASPARAGUS and BACON

makes 4 servings


4 oz sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut on a long diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 lb fusilli (short corkscrew pasta)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/2 oz) plus additional for serving

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet, then add oil and onion to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 4 minutes.

Add asparagus and sauté, stirring, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While onion is cooking, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta in a colander.

Return pasta to pot along with asparagus mixture, 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, and cheese. Add remaining 1/2 cup cooking water to skillet and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Add to pasta and toss over moderately low heat until combined well, about 30 seconds.

Serve pasta sprinkled with bacon and with additional cheese on the side.


courtesy of: Gourmet, May 2002

436. FUSILLI with COLLARDS, BACON, and GARLIC

Serves: 4


1 pound collards, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well and chopped coarse
1/4 pound sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 large garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 large onion, sliced thin
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 pound fusilli (spiral-shaped pasta)
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
freshly grated Parmesan as an accompaniment

In a kettle of boiling water boil the collards for 10 minutes, drain them in a colander set over a large bowl, and return the cooking liquid to the kettle.

In a large skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it is just browned and transfer it with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.

Pour off the fat from the skillet and in the skillet cook the garlic, the onion, and the red pepper flakes in half the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened and the garlic is golden brown.

Bring the cooking liquid to a boil, in it boil the fusilli until it is al dente, and drain the fusilli well. To the skillet add the collards, the bacon, the fusilli, the remaining oil, and the vinegar and toss the mixture well.

Season the fusilli with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and sprinkle each serving with some of the Parmesan.


courtesy of: Chelsea CSA, New York, New York / Gourmet, February 1992