Pasta With Bacon, Sugar Snap Peas and Red Wine

This evolved from my recipe for Carbonara from the Food and Wine pasta cookbook. I was experimenting with ways to cut the cream and eggs and with a couple of other tweaks this is where I ended up! It definitely stands on its own for a meal, particularly if you add more veggies, but I also use it as a side dish at times. Prosciutto works well too but make sure it gets really crispy. With the wine, you are going to add it to the bacon mixture 2 tablespoons at a time.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 lb pasta (I prefer campanelle or fusilli from Barilla)
• 8  ounces sugar snap peas
• 8  slices  center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 -2  large shallot, chopped (should be about 1/2 to 2/3 cup. red onion can be subbed but then up garlic)
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 2⁄3 cup red wine (the better the wine, the better the meal!)
• 1  pinch red pepper flakes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper, divided into two 1/4 tsp
• 1  tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese (I mostly used Kraft Reduced fat with a few tbsp fresh mixed in)
• 2  tablespoons fresh parsley
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Put on a pot of salted water to boil.
2. Heat up a large skillet over medium. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
3. Add chopped bacon and stir. Let bacon cook about 5 minutes until it starts to brown and bacon grease gets released into pan.
4. Add shallots, garlic, pinch of red pepper flakes and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir and cook until shallots and garlic begin to brown, about 2 more minutes.
5. Add first 2 tbsp of red wine and carefully scrap down the pan to make sure all the little bits are being picked up. Let cook 2-3 minutes and repeat, adding another 1/4 tsp of black pepper.
6. Meanwhile, add pasta to boiling water and cook per instructions. Add sugar snap peas 1 min, 15 seconds before pasta cooking time is up. (This will make them tender crisp. Change cooking time if you like them more/less tender).
7. Repeat the process with the wine until it has all been used, adding additional salt and pepper to taste.
8. Once all wine has been added, move heat to low/medium low. Add 1 tbsp red wine.
9. Drain pasta/snow peas and add into skillet. If your skillet is not large enough this can be done in a new bowl. Thoroughly combine bacon mixture with pasta, really scrapping the sides of the pan to make sure all the flavors are incorporated.
10. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 tbsp fresh parsley. Mix again.
11. Serve and enjoy! I usually keep a cup of cheese on the table for people to add more as they see fit.