Ingredients (~6 servings)

12 oz uncooked pasta

6 strips thick-cut bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup tomato paste (double concentrated)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 tsp Italian seasoning

3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 handful fresh basil, sliced thin

Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta Cooking & Bacon Prep

Using a large stockpot filled with salt water, bring the water to a rolling boil, and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.

In the meantime, take your bacon, cut it into small pieces, and add them to the skillet with some medium-high heat. (I prefer using kitchen scissors for easy cutting).

Once you have cooked the bacon until crispy (6-8 minutes), remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess grease. Keep approximately 2 Tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet and discard the remaining amount.

Creating the Foundation: Onion & Garlic

Reduce heat to medium and add the chopped onion to the reserved bacon fat. Cook the onions until soft, approximately 5-7 minutes. The onions will be translucent, smell sweet, and should no longer be crunchy.

Add the minced garlic and white wine to the skillet. Allow the two ingredients to simmer for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Making the Creamy Tomato Sauce

Combine the tomato paste, cream, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes, and continue stirring the mixture until it is completely blended. At first, it is typical for tomato paste to clump up so continue to mix until it has broken down to a smooth consistency.

Once combined, allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. You will know that the sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

Bringing Everything Together

Stir in the cooked bacon and sliced fresh basil to the sauce mixture before taking the skillet off of the stovetop. Then add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Adding cheese off the heat prevents the cheese from becoming stringy or clumping.

If your sauce has become too thick while cooking the pasta, add a splash of warm pasta water to loosen the mixture before draining the pasta.

Once the pasta has been drained, add it to the sauce mixture. Toss gently to ensure that all of the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Taste and season the pasta with salt and freshly ground black pepper to suit your individual preferences. Since both the bacon and cheese are salty, you may want to add only a small amount of salt.