PASTA WITH BACON, CHEESE, LEMON AND PINE NUTS
For home cooks, the most useful recipe is the one that lets you feed many tastes with a single dish. This one starts out small -- pasta with butter and cheese -- but can be expanded with pine nuts, lemon zest, brown butter, bacon and herbs into something satisfying. This kind of "modular" meal, which everyone at the table can add to or subtract from, is a great family dinner solution. You prepare one tasty base element, like warm tortillas or pasta or salad greens. After that, it's about piling on -- or politely passing on -- all the garnishes at the table.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories dinner, easy, quick, weeknight, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Put the cheese, herbs and red pepper flakes on the table. Zest the lemon and put the zest on the table in a small serving bowl. Cut the lemon in half.
- Put bacon in a medium-size heavy pot and turn the heat on low. Cook, turning occasionally, until fat has rendered and bacon is chewy-crisp, about 10 minutes. Lift out bacon pieces and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm on top of the stove.
- When the water boils, add pasta, stir well and cover. When the water comes back to the boil, uncover and stir again.
- Put 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan and melt it over medium-low heat. When it foams, throw in the pine nuts and cook, shaking the pan, until they turn brown and toasty. Turn off heat and squeeze the lemon into the pan, cupping your hand underneath to catch any pits. Stir and set aside. Transfer bacon to a serving bowl and place on the table.
- As soon as the pasta is tender (it will cook a bit more later on), drain it, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Immediately return the pasta to the pan over low heat. Toss in a chunk of butter. Add a splash of cooking water and a pinch of salt, stir well, cover and let rest 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasonings until the pasta is completely cooked and tasty (but plain).
- For those who like plain pasta or pasta with just butter and cheese, set aside a good amount in serving bowls. For others, pour the pine nuts and butter into the pasta remaining in the pot, add another splash of cooking water, and toss to combine. Serve from the pot or in a serving bowl, passing the various toppings.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 937, UnsaturatedFat 20 grams, Carbohydrate 111 grams, Fat 40 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 33 grams, SaturatedFat 17 grams, Sodium 597 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams, TransFat 1 gram
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love
zainkhan2010 Khan
[email protected]This pasta dish is my new go-to recipe for a quick and easy weeknight meal. It's always a hit with my family and friends.
Violets Monster
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly and the dish turned out perfectly. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a delicious and easy pasta dish.
Elizabeth Mboya
[email protected]This pasta dish is a great way to use up leftover bacon. It's also a quick and easy meal to make on a weeknight.
Ben Agbeko
[email protected]This recipe was a bit too rich for my taste. I think I would have preferred a lighter sauce.
Malak Mlo0
[email protected]I'm not a huge fan of pasta dishes, but this one was really good. The flavors were well-balanced and the pasta was cooked perfectly.
cheesy dino
[email protected]This pasta dish is the perfect comfort food. It's cheesy, creamy, and so satisfying. I love that it's also relatively easy to make.
Jay Joyce
[email protected]I made this recipe for a potluck and it was gone in minutes! Everyone loved it. I would definitely make it again.
Wissal Sukkari
[email protected]This pasta dish is so easy to make and it's always a hit with my family. I love that I can use ingredients that I usually have on hand.
Official J Wes_Promo 245
[email protected]I was disappointed with this recipe. The sauce was too thin and the flavors didn't really come together. I think I would have preferred a more traditional Alfredo sauce.
Racheal Nakaweesi
[email protected]I've made this recipe a few times now and I always tweak it a bit to suit my own taste. I usually add some chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a bit of red pepper flakes. It's always a hit with my family and friends.
Yahye gariir
[email protected]This is one of my favorite pasta recipes. It's so creamy and cheesy, and the lemon and pine nuts add a nice touch of brightness and crunch.
Annabell Hunsinger
[email protected]I made this recipe for a dinner party and it was a huge success! Everyone loved it. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a delicious and impressive pasta dish.
nadeem rajjpot
[email protected]This pasta dish is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal. It's also a great way to use up leftover bacon.
Md. Erfan
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly and the dish turned out bland and boring. I think it needed more seasoning or some additional ingredients to give it more flavor.
Abdulmujib Gboye
[email protected]This recipe is a keeper! I've made it several times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser. I love that it's so easy to make and that I can use ingredients that I usually have on hand.
Niitoki
[email protected]I thought this recipe was just okay. The flavors didn't really come together for me. I think I would have preferred a different type of cheese, maybe a sharp cheddar or a blue cheese.
Shaka Don
[email protected]This is my new favorite pasta recipe! It's so flavorful and satisfying. I'll definitely be making it again.
DOCTOR ESHA
[email protected]I'm not a huge fan of lemon in savory dishes, but this recipe changed my mind. The lemon added a bright and refreshing flavor that balanced out the richness of the bacon and cheese.
Fullkoli Tv
[email protected]This recipe was easy to follow and the results were delicious. I used a blend of cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, and I added a bit of red pepper flakes for a little spice.
Tessa Smith
[email protected]This pasta dish was a hit with my family! The combination of bacon, cheese, lemon, and pine nuts was perfect. I especially loved the crispy pine nuts.