Tomato Pasta with Bacon and Arugula

Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4 to 6

Tomato Pasta with Bacon and Arugula

Ingredients

  • 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 pound short pasta, such as gemelli or fusilli
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 5 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups wild arugula

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water 2 inches from the top. Place over high heat and let come to a boil; add 2 teaspoons of the salt. Cook the pasta according to the package direction (until al dente). Scoop out 1½ cups of the pasta water before draining into a colander.

Slice the bacon. Finely chop the garlic.

Place another large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens slightly in color. Whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Add the oregano, black pepper, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

Add the pasta and Parmesan to the sauce and stir to coat until the cheese melts. Stir in a little more of the pasta water if the pasta sauce needs loosening. Fold in the arugula for about 30 seconds, or until wilted. Serve the pasta topped with a little more Parmesan.

step by step

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/01/

Fill a large pot with water 2 inches from the top. Place over high heat and let come to a boil; add 2 teaspoons of the salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Scoop out 1½ cups of the pasta water before draining.

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/02/

Finely chop the garlic.

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/03/

Place a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and crushed red pepper.

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/04/

Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly in color, about 3 minutes.

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/05/

Chop the oregano.

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/06/

Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water to make a sauce. Add the oregano, black pepper, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

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/07/

Add the pasta and Parmesan to the pot and stir to coat in the sauce until melted and creamy. Stir in a little more of the pasta water if the pasta sauce needs loosening.

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/08/

Fold in the arugula until wilted, about 30 seconds.

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/09/

Serve the pasta topped with Parmesan.

This recipe was printed from:
https://jessicaseinfeld.com/recipes/tomato-pasta-with-bacon-and-arugula