So, after about one million years of cooking pasta in plain old boiling water and tossing sauce on it,
I recently discovered [1] that if you take it out of the water a few minutes before it is done and finish cooking it in the sauce, the clouds will part, angels will sing, and you will ascend to new heights of pasta bliss. So it was just a small step for me to take this to the next step, which was finishing it in a lovely bath of white wine. And yes, it was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be.
Just like with the sauce version, some of the white wine gets absorbed into the pasta as it finishes cooking, which gives it a snap that you can’t quite put your finger on unless you know what went on behind the scenes…it’s rich and a little sharp and just plain delicious. There’s a teeny bit of cream and a nice big handful of bacon involved as well. And last but not least, some pretty little shavings of parmesan cheese on top. I am lucky enough to have
a friend [2] who makes regular trips to Italy, and she always brings me back a gorgeous hunk of Parmesan cheese direct from Rome. I hide it in the deepest recesses of my fridge and use it right down to the rind…and then I drop the rind in whatever soup I have going at the time when (sniffle) the cheese is gone, and it gives it a slightly creamy, cheesy whisper of flavor.
But I digress…back to the pasta! Begin by cooking up your bacon and starting the wine sauce, and once that is underway it’s time to bring on the pasta. You start it the usual way in a pot of salted water, and let it go until it just starts to get bendy – about 5 minutes or so. Now be brave and drain it, because we are going to finish cooking it in that wine sauce, with a little extra wine added for good measure. Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, you’re going to stir in a little cream and some parmesan, sprinkle the bacon on top, add a little more parmesan that you have shaved with your handy vegetable peeler, and you are ready to roll.
And just for fun, see if your lucky fellow dining companions can figure out the secret ingredient. It’s always good to keep folks on their toes. :)
White Wine Spaghetti with Bacon and Parmesan
Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bottle dry white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound spaghetti
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus some extra shaved with a vegetable peeler for garnish
Directions
1. Cook bacon in a large deep skillet until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet. Turn off the heat and let the skillet cool down for 5 minutes.
2. Pour 1 1/2 cups of wine into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes - the wine will reduce to about 1/2 cup. Stir in the sugar.
3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in salted water until it just starts to become flexible, about 5 minutes. Scoop out a cup of pasta water. Drain and add to skillet.
4. Add remaining wine to skillet and return to a low boil. Cook the pasta in the wine until it is done to your liking, tossing it frequently with tongs. If the pasta is not done enough by the time all the wine is absorbed, add a little pasta water.
5. When spaghetti is done, pour in cream and grated cheese and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper and divide among 4 plates. Garnish with bacon and shaved cheese and serve.
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Still Hungry?
Ravioli with Tomatoes in White Wine Sauce [5] from Framed Cooks
Pasta with Tuna and Capers in White Wine Sauce [6] from Simply Recipes
Red Wine Spaghetti with Broccoli [7] from Epicurious