Suvir Saran's Penne with Popped Tomatoes and Bacon

By susanwadle

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• One 14.5-ounce box whole-grain/wholemeal, multigrain, or nutrient-enriched penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 pound slab bacon cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large red onion, quartered and sliced crosswise
• 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved if large
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from seriouseats.com

Preparation

Step 1

Serious Heat

Instead of a smooth, long simmered tomato sauce, this one is made by cooking down cherry tomatoes until they literally pop, making for a hearty chunky sauce with all shapes and sizes of tomatoes and generous cubes of bacon.

Why you should make this:

Saran makes a winter version of this pasta, adding in crème frâiche and cream. If you're looking for something a little richer it's just the thing.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the pasta, and cook following the package instructions until the pasta is al dente. Drain through a colander and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and pepper in a large frying pan over medium heat until the pepper is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, and basil, and then add the bacon, cooking it until it starts to render some fat, about 1 minute. Stir in the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion wilts and the bacon takes on a bit of color around the edges, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cover the pan, and cook until the tomatoes are starting to shrivel and shrink (but aren’t mushy), 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the pasta and divide among bowls. Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

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