Tomato-braised bacon pasta

Simmering smoky, rich bacon in tangy tomatoes helps the bacon become tender and nearly unctuous, its flavor infused into the garlicky tomato sauce. If you happen to have an open bottle, a small splash of red wine in the tomatoes can deepen things nicely. It’s not quite amatriciana, but it borrows some of the best parts (cured pork, tomatoes). Both bright and comforting, this simple pasta might beg to be made on the regular. The bacon is cooked first, releasing flavorful fat which you can drizzle, if you’d like a flavor boost, over the finished pasta. Black pepper is welcome at the end, and Parmesan would work well, too.