Bacon Garlic Pasta

This bacon garlic pasta (macaroni) is a simple pasta dish that I cook quite frequently. The flavour is full although the ingredients are few. I brought this pasta to work as a side dish to accompany my weekday lunch salad. The method of cooking is similar to how I cook my aglio olio, which is why a bit more garlic and oil are used.

See Also:

• Carbonara Recipe (above)
• Spinach Pesto Pasta Recipe
• Cherry Tomato Pasta Recipe

It is also great as a one-dish meal and you can vary this basic recipe with all types of pasta (such as spaghetti and penne) and other ingredients like tomato, mushroom, pepper and/or chicken. This basic version is really my favourite because it already tastes good on its own.  I also substituted the typical pasta ingredients with local ingredients – chilli flakes with chilli padi; flat-leaf parsley with spring onions.

Click on photo to view full size	Printable Recipe >>
Note: Ingredients, seasonings, measurements & timings are at the “Printable Recipe” link above.
	Finely chop streaky bacon.
	Coarsely chop garlic and finely slice chilli padi (or use chilli flakes).
	In a pot of salted water, cook pasta (macaroni) until al dente.
	While macaroni is cooking, cook chopped bacon in a saucepan until crisp.
	Push the bacon to one side. Cook garlic and chilli in bacon oil and olive oil.
	At the first sight of the garlic changing colour, turn off the heat. It will continue cooking in the hot oil until golden brown (as shown).
	Melt some butter while the oil is still hot.
	Drain the hot pasta and reserve some pasta water.
	Add pasta to the saucepan with a bit of pasta water (or chicken stock for more flavour). Stir in chopped spring onions (or flat-leaf parsley). Season with freshly cracked black pepper.
	Serve with grated parmesan cheese over the pasta.

Print

Bacon Garlic Pasta Recipe

You can make this pasta more exciting with added ingredients like cherry tomato, mushrooms, peppers and/or chicken, though this basic version tastes good on its own too.

Serves: 3-4

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 200 grams macaroni (or other pasta such as penne)
• 100 grams streaky bacon finely chopped
• 2 chilli padi thinly sliced; to taste (or 1 tsp chilli flakes)
• 8 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp chopped spring onions or Italian flat-leaf parsley
• 30 grams unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp chicken stock (or use pasta water)
• sea salt to taste
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste
• freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add 1 tbsp salt to a pot of water. Bring water to boil and add macaroni. Cook pasta until al dente, deducting about 2 minutes off the recommended timing on the packaging.
2. While the macaroni is cooking, add bacon to a heated saucepan. Let the bacon cook until crisp and its oil rendered out.
3. Push the bacon to the side of the saucepan. Using the oil released by the bacon, add another 2 tbsp olive oil. Cook garlic and chilli padi in the oil.
4. At the first sight of the garlic changing to light golden brown, turn off the stove. Let it continue cooking in the hot oil until it turns golden brown. Melt some butter in the hot oil.
5. Drain cooked macaroni and add to the saucepan, together with chicken stock (or pasta water), chopped spring onions (or parsley). Stir to coat everything evenly. Season to taste. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper over the pasta.

Ingredients Used: bacon • butter • cheese • chicken stock • chilli • chilli padi • garlic • macaroni • olive oil • parmesan cheese • Pasta Recipes • spring onion