Pasta is good.... Pasta is easy.... Pasta is one of my favorite ingredients to make a meal with! I don't think I've ever had a pasta dish which tasted horrible and with so many decent jar sauces available, putting dinner on the table couldn't be easier.
Now I'm not knocking sauce from a jar, but who in the world has time to make a sauce from scratch (me if It's lasagna) but this little dish was made from a can of tomatoes and a few other staples that I bet you have in your kitchen.
Inspiration came from this months Food and Wine. I had to switch a few items like guanciale (cured pork cheeks), which could be tricky to find. Luckily pancetta can be used in it's place but I had no pancetta either...what the heck!
What I did have and always have is bacon. Chopped up and added to the wine and tomatoes, the kitchen smelled crazy good! I think the Italians are super smart when it comes to food, they seem to use very little ingredients but what they do end up using is usually the best.
Parmigiano Reggiano, for example cannot be skimped upon, it's like a fluffy blanket for your pasta and makes a huge difference in the taste. Yes it may be the most expensive part of the meal but it's like cheese candy.
Don't make the mistake of thinking all Parmesan is the same, in fact cheese just called Parmesan can be made anywhere and wont have the same crunchy, salty taste as the real Parmigiano.
The Italians have special laws in place to protect it, D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) are their to ensure the quality of the country's cheese and wine. The French have the same system but it's called A.O.C.(Appellation d'origine controlee)I'm linking this post up to #tomatolove over at Bake Your Day and Gimme Some Oven.
Both of these ladies are hosting the biggest tomato party ever for Recipe For Change Campaign which is trying to end modern day slavery on the tomato fields. There's some major grocery chains already pledged to help and if you'd like to find out how you could be part of it, head on over to their site!
I'm also guest posting for a good friend whom you might know, La Fuji Mama!!
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