Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Bacon

By polledl

Orecchiette are adept at catching the small bits of sweet potato and bacon in this dish, but any shell pasta will work.
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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces bacon, preferably slab, chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 head cauliflower, trimmed into 1 1/2-inch florets (about 2 1/2 cups)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 ounces orecchiette
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces), plus more, shaved, for garnish
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Reserve drippings.

2.Toss sweet potato, onion, and cauliflower with reserved drippings. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until tender and caramelized, about 35 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot with cooking water, and toss with grated cheese and vegetables. Stir in parsley. Sprinkle bacon over top. Garnish with shaved cheese.