Creamy Bacon Pasta
A quick, creamy bacon pasta with garlic, shallots, white wine, and Parmesan, ready in well under 40 minutes.
Equipment
- Large pan
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 150 g streaky bacon diced (5.3 oz)
- 2 shallots finely diced
- 1 large garlic clove finely diced
- 60 ml dry white wine 1/4 cup
- 200 g long-cut pasta 7 oz dry weight; tagliatelle used
- 80 ml chicken stock 1/3 cup
- 160 ml heavy cream double/heavy cream, 2/3 cup
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely diced
- 30 g parmesan freshly grated, 1/3 cup
- salt and black pepper as needed
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large pan with the heat off. Turn the heat to medium and fry until crisp with the fat rendered down. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. If there's more than 1 tbsp fat in the pan, remove the excess.
- Add the shallots to the leftover fat and gently cook until soft and golden. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, then pour in the wine. Increase the heat slightly and simmer the wine for 3-4 minutes, until it almost completely evaporates and the smell of alcohol disappears.
- Meanwhile, add the pasta to a large pot of salted boiling water and cook until al dente.
- Lower the heat back to medium and stir in the stock, cream, Parmesan, and parsley. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Check for seasoning and adjust if needed, then use tongs to transfer the cooked pasta straight from the pot into the sauce, including some of the water that comes with it. Toss to coat, add the bacon back in, and continue tossing until the sauce clings to the pasta. If it over-thickens, toss in a splash more pasta water.
- Serve with more Parmesan and parsley if desired.
Notes
Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave in short bursts, adding a splash of cream, milk, or broth to loosen the sauce. Non-alcoholic wine or extra stock can replace the wine if preferred.
