Dinner: Penne with Tomato, Bacon and Cheese Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Zwirn This rich, slightly smoky sauce is cooked for only ten minutes.

Ingredients

6 bacon slices, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 pound penne
1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, feta cheese or coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Sauté bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Spoon off all but 4 tablespoons drippings from pan. Add garlic to pan and stir 30 seconds. Add wine and scrape up any browned bits. Add tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, oregano and crushed red pepper. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in 2 tablespoons parsley.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
Return pasta to pot. Add sauce. Toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking water by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry. Mix in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.

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