White Wine Pasta with Bacon & Parmesan

 

              Okay this recipe may throw a crinkle in your cooking, as it did in mine. Nothing major, don’t fear my friends. The curveball is just in the pasta part. You see, like you, I’m used to cooking pasta in water.  Plain and simple- boil water, salt it, cook pasta, drain, serve. I can practically do it in my sleep (not recommended). But this here recipe is quite the rebel….

                So you start out all plain and simple- boil water, cook pasta, la dee da….But wait, you then drain it before it is done! Yes, that is right- you remove the slightly softened noodles right from their boiling boat. Next, you let them finish cooking in wine!

                Yes, the pasta cooks in wine! What an idea. Now relax, the wine simmers and cooks out so I don’t think you’re getting anyone tipsy here. What are left are these ridiculously tasty pastas. I would actually put them on the sweet side, which pairs nicely with the nutty Parmesan and salty bacon. Yup: wine-cooked pasta, cheese, bacon and cream. Needless to say, there will be no leftovers. Enjoy…

White Wine Pasta with Bacon & Parmesan

Serves: 2-3

Adapted from: Framed Cooks

OBJ: TCW be able to cook pasta in something other than boiling water

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (for last step)

½ bottle  of dry white wine ( ½ of a 750 ml)

2 tsp sugar

½ lb (8 ounces) radiatore pasta, or any other non-hollow shaped pasta (preferably spaghetti)

¼ C heavy cream

¼ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for shaving garnish

1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

S & P: salt and pepper

Procedures:

1. Heat oil over medium flame in a large skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp

2. Using slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel-lined plate

3.  Leave bacon and oil grease in skillet, let cool 3 minutes. Add ¾ cup of wine to skillet, use wooden spoon to scrape up bacon bits, turn flame to high, bring wine to boil, then turn flame to low and let simmer for 10 minutes- it will reduce to about ½ cup

4. Stir in sugar over low flame

5. Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water for about 6-8 minutes. Reserve 1 Cup of pasta water and then drain pasta.

6.  Add 1 cup of reserved water, pasta and 1 cup of wine to skillet. Keep flame on low-medium and allow mixture to come up to a low boil

7.  Cook pasta in wine/water for about 8 – 10 minutes or until done, tossing frequently

8.  When pasta is done, turn flame to medium and add cream, grated cheese, both sets of bacon (except a handful) and S & P to your tasting. Toss well over the flame for about  1-2 minutes

9. Transfer to serving bowls, use a cheese grater to shave large pieces of Parmesan over top and then sprinkle with bacon!