Pasta Matriciana

I'm not very experienced at blogging, nor do I think I have a lot to blog about. So, I decided to make this a record of the delicious dishes I make for my husband, David Peters, and me.

On Friday, I made Pasta Matriciana, a recipe from Nick Stellino's Dine In! cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer extra-virgin olive oil, right now I'm using the 365 brand from Whole Foods)
6 garlic cloves, thickly sliced (like 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch)
6 oz. of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used turkey bacon)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used a white one, but a yellow one would work, too)
red pepper flakes (however hot you want it! I probably used 3/4 tsp, the recipe called for 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup good, dry red wine (something you would drink, this past time I used a Petit Verdot from Willowcroft winery in Leesburg, but a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel would work nicely, too)
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil (I used a heaping tbsp of dried basil because the Safeway by our apartment sucks. A good technique for chopping basil is to stack the leaves with the biggest one on the bottom, roll them up, and slice them into cross-sectional ribbons; this technique is also called chiffonade)
1 lb of pasta (I used wheat shells)
5 tbsp of grated romano (I used parmigiano reggiano)

Prepare:
Chop everything that needs chopping. Chop the bacon last so you don't have to wash the knife in between choppings. To remove the garlic clove from it's skin, smash it a little, using the flat side of the knife. If you are very sensitive to onions, put it in the freezer for about 5 minutes before chopping, it really works (or you can use lab goggles if you have some lying around)!

Cook:
Drain the chopped tomatoes, saving the juices to use in the sauce. In a large saucepan or deep skillet, heat the oil and garlic over medium-high heat until the garlic just starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes (toss it around a few times to cook evenly). Add the bacon, onion, red pepper flakes (and if using dried basil, add it here also. Dried herbs are best added early in the process; fresh herbs are best added later). Cook until the bacon begins to brown and the onion begins to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan and deglaze the pan (i.e. scrape up all the stuck on bits with your cooking spoon). Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the strained tomatoes and the basil (if fresh). Bring to a boil, stirring well. Add the reserved tomato juice, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Cook your pasta (make sure to salt the water, this is your only opportunity to flavor the pasta itself). While pasta and sauce are cooking, grate the cheese. Put the cooked pasta and the cheese in the sauce and stir over medium heat for a few minutes. Plate and serve (large, shallow bowls work really well for pasta). Be sure to have a small bowl of grated cheese for the dinner table.

deLICious!!