Michael Symon's Bucatini with Bacon, Tomatoes and Jalapeno

I know I use “OMG” way too much.  But it fits perfectly in this instance.  OH MY GOD this is good!  It sounded good.  How can you go wrong with pasta, bacon, garlic, jalapenos and tomatoes?  But OH MY GOD I can’t believe how incredibly flavorful, and amazingly easy this dish is!

I received a copy of Michael Symon’s Carnivore for Christmas.  Christmas Day I made his Double-Trouble Meatloaf and on the 26^th I made Bucatini with Bacon, Tomatoes and Jalapeno.  I couldn't find this recipe posted on the web so you'll have to find yourself a copy of Carnivore or see if you can convince Mr. Symon to publish it on the web.

I’m lucky; I knew right where to go for bucatini noodles.  Bucatini is a fat spaghetti noodle with a hole down the center of it.  They sell it at my favorite olive oil store, The Olive Grove in Mendota Heights so I stopped there on my way home from work to pick some up.  I also picked up some orecchiette so I can try Michael Symon’s Orecchiette with Chorizo and Swiss Chard!

This is so simple to put together.  Start the noodles boiling because by the time they are done, the sauce will be!

The deliciousness is started by browning cubed bacon.  I used Nueske's Wild Cherrywood Smoked Uncured Bacon.  This got my husband into the kitchen!  Once the bacon is browned the recipe instructs you “don’t drain off the bacon fat”.  Yes, this was going to be good.

 

To the browned bacon (and all that bacon fat) you add thinly sliced garlic and a diced jalapeno, seeds and skins included and cooked for a couple of minutes.  The heat is then lowered and diced San Marzano tomatoes are added.

 

To this the drained noodles along with about a quarter of a cup of the pasta water are added and it’s cooked just a bit more.  Off the heat parsley, butter and Parmesan cheese are added.  The aroma in the kitchen was divine!  Not only did it smell wonderful but it’s a pretty dish as well!

 

Finally (ok this whole thing took about 15 minutes to put together!) it was time to taste.  I took the first bite and, yes, OH MY GOD the flavors dancing around in my mouth!  I looked at my husband and said “this is quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever eaten and it came out of my kitchen!”

The smokiness of the bacon with a hint of heat from the jalapeno, sweet tomatoes and the great chew of the bucatini was heaven on a plate!  I slurped down every last bacon fat coated noodle and it was just as good warmed up for lunch the next day.