#30 - Spaghetti with Bacon and Arugula

After lunch, we still had some arugula left over, had no plans for dinner, and found this recipe online for a pasta with ingredients we had around the house.

Spaghetti with Bacon and Arugula

From TasteFood
Since it's Sunday and we had everything else around the house, we thought today would be a good day for making homemade pasta. That's what that little nest is in the middle of the picture.
After cooking the bacon, you toast the breadcrumbs in a tablespoon of the bacon fat. Don't worry if it seems like there's not enough grease in the pan; that's how it's supposed to be.
After getting the breadcrumbs ready, you make a simple cream sauce, mix everything together, and you're done.
Oooh. This was a delicious pasta. The arugula and the bacon went well together, the cream sauce was not too heavy, and our homemade pasta was a solid touch.

For being such a simple and tasty meal, we think we're going to make this again next time we have leftover arugula.
Here's how to make recipe #30:

Ingredients

• 12 oz bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt, plus salt for pasta water
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese, grated
• 3 cups arugula

Preparation

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown, and then transfer to paper towels.
2. Remove all but one tablespoon of fat from the skillet, and add the breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Saute until the breadcrumbs are golden, and then transfer to a small bowl.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and throw the pasta.
5. Meanwhile, in a clean saucepan, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
6. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute.
7. Add the cream and simmer until slightly reduced and thickened for about 3-4 minutes.
8. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the cream.
9. When the pasta is al dente, strain and toss with the cream sauce.
10. Add the bacon, arugula, and half of the Parmigiano, and toss to combine.
11. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the remaining Parmigiano over the pasta, and briefly toss.