My Husband's Matriciana

For all of my people out there who have always want some small insight in to Michele's culinary mastery, this one's for you.

In keeping with our theme of using the odds and ends of spare foods left in the fridge before we head back to Maui, I give you last's night's dinner...Michele's Matriciana.

Our inspiration? An already opened pack of leftover bacon. 

Dice it. 

Sauté it with or without a tbsp of olive oil, your preference. 

Cook until fat is rendered, but not until crisp. 

Slice onions and a few leaves of basil and add to the pot. 

Season with salt, pepper and the rind of a small piece parmeggiano reggiano . 

Cook covered, slow and low, until onions caramelize, at least fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. 

In the meantime, pull out any pasta that you have in your pantry. (In our case, for our party of eight, we used two boxes of mini farfalle.)

Boil water for your pasta. 

While you wait for that to bubble, pull out your tomato sauce. We only use Cento Tomato Paste in a Tube, 4.6 oz. (Google Affiliate Ad) Cento, whole or crushed tomatoes. 

Stir in to the bacon and onions. 

Simmer at least thirty minutes, seasoning to taste. 

Go back to your boiling water and drop your pasta. 

Cook until al dente. 

Strain. 

Once your sauce tastes ready, the sweet and salty and smoky flavors of your ingredients harmonized, pour half of it in to the now empty pasta pot. 

Transfer the pasta from the strainer back to the pasta pot, on top of the sauce. 

Then, pour the remaining sauce over the pasta. 

Stir until sauce covers pasta evenly. 

Grate as much parmeggiano reggiano as you would like over the pasta. We like a small heap. 

Add another handful of basil. 

Integrate. 

Plate. 

Here's a recap of the ingredients that you will need: 

a standard, 16 oz package of bacon

2 large onions 

a bunch of fresh basil 

28 oz can of Cento crushed tomatoes

a chunk of Parmeggiano Reggiano cheese, grated with rind separated

Two boxes of pasta 

Salt 

Pepper 

Bon Appetito!