Pasta for One :)

Pasta, to me, is comfort food. I think its a great dish to enjoy while watching TV with someone special or even casual entertainment with friends and family. And what makes a pasta dish special is really the sauce. I love making sauces from scratch and am not a fan of the bottled ones at all. Even a simple marinara sauce tastes so much better when made with fresh ingredients ... and yes, of course, all the love!

Anyway, unfortunately, my husband does not share my love for the cliched Italian meal. Hence, I end up making my favorite pasta dishes when I am alone at home. Now, I love cooking, but, cooking for one is not really as fun or satisfying. So when I am cooking for just myself, I try to keep the recipes simple, easy and something that does not take a lot of time to make but tastes great nevertheless.

This pasta recipe falls perfectly in that category. The fresh ingredients in the sauce not only makes it healthy but also accentuates the taste. The combination of tomato, garlic and fresh herbs is by itself flavorful. Adding the bacon just elevates the sauce to the next level.

The sauce is on the spicy side and hence, the carrots make a perfect side. The sweetness of the fresh carrots balances the taste wonderfully. Plus, you get your daily dose of fresh veggies too. And the best part, the meal is ready in under 30 minutes!

This is a very simple dish with a taste so fantastic, it is great for company too. Also, you can make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it. Warm it up, toss in cooked spaghetti and serve.

Tomato and Bacon Pasta and Fresh Sweet Carrots
(serves 2)

4-5 strips of thick bacon chopped
2 medium ripe tomatoes diced, about 1.5 cups
1 medium red onion julienned
3-4 big cloves of garlic minced
1.5 tsp chili flakes
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 T parsley minced
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/3 lb spaghetti or as much for two
1/3 cup fresh grated provolone
4 sweet carrots sliced thin or grated
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add enough salt to flavor the pasta. Remember, this is the only time you get to flavor the pasta, so don't forget the salt. Add and cook the spagetti until it is al dente.

For the sauce, start by sauteing bacon over medium heat till it becomes crispy. Remove the crisped bacon and drain on a paper towel. To the bacon fat add the olive oil, onion, garlic and chilli flakes. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Cayenne packs a lot of heat, so be careful how much you add. Add the tomatoes and cook until almost done. Toss in the reserved bacon crisps and cook for a few minutes for the flavors to infuse through.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, so that the pasta also absorbs the flavors. Toss in the fresh minced parsley. Serve with grated provolone sprinkled on top and a generous helping of the sweet carrots.

Note: You can also use basil instead of parsley. Basil has a wonderful flavor that married very well with tomato. If you are using basil, toss it in just before serving. Otherwise, the heat will weigh down the leaves and the flavors will not come through as well.