Sizzling Herb Pasta With White Beans and Crisp Smoked Bacon

Beans and pasta combine with a smoky bacon flavor in this quick pasta dish that can be served hot or cold. Recipe compliments of Sara Perry's cookbook "Everything Tastes Better with Bacon".

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  large lemon, zest of, grated
• 1  large garlic clove
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 15  ounces white beans, drained and rinsed
• 6  slices smoked bacon (thick, cut cross-wise into 2-inch pieces)
• 14  ounces  fusilli (corkscrew pasta)
• 1 1⁄2 cups flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup fresh sage, coarsely chopped
• 2 -3  tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
•  kosher salt
•  fresh ground pepper
•  romano cheese, grated (for serving)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil; stir in the beans and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized heavy skillet, cook the bacon pieces over low to medium-low heat, turning as needed to achieve uniform crispness. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Pour off the bacon drippings, reserving 1/4 cup in the skillet.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to package directions. (Serving hint: As the pasta water heats, place your serving bowl or platter over the pot to heat it.) Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
4. Transfer the pasta to the warmed serving bowl, add the beans with their marinade and the bacon pieces and toss lightly.
5. In the skillet used to the cook the bacon, heat the reserved bacon drippings over medium-high heat until hot. (To test, add an herb leaf to the hot drippings. When it sizzles, the temperature is right) Add the parsley, sage and rosemary to the hot drippings and saute quickly, 10 to 15 seconds. Drizzle and scrape the bacon drippings and herbs onto the pasta mixture and toss to blend. For a moister coating, add a little of the reserved cooking water. Serve immediately with the salt, pepper and grated romano.