Enjoy this collaboration between Caroline Chambers and Baker's Bacon of a delicious recipe with optional homemade pasta! Caroline Chambers is a professional recipe developer, food writer, and cookbook author. She wrote Just Married, published by Chronicle Books in2018, and writes What To Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking, a weekly newsletter that delivers one complete meal that will take under an hour. She lives in Carmel Valley with her husband, two sons, dog, and ten chickens.
2slicesSous Vide Baker’s Bacondiced (or 3 slices regular)
1cuppanko breadcrumbs
¼cupfinely chopped basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Vodka Sauce
1poundpastapenne, rotini, rigatoni, or homemade pasta (see below)
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
1large shallotfinely minced
2clovesgarlicminced
6 ounce can tomato paste (or, a heaping ½ cup)
½teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes
¼cupvodka
Kosher salt
1cupheavy cream
1/2cupfreshly grated Parmesanplus more for serving
Basilfor serving
Homemade tagliatelle (optional)
2cupsall purpose flour
Pinchof salt
½ to ¾cupwater
Instructions
Breadcrumbs:
In a nonstick skillet, cook 2 slices sous vide Baker’s Bacon, diced over medium-high heat until lightly crispy.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
Stir in 1 cup breadcrumbs and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until light golden brown.
Remove skillet from heat, allow to cool for a couple minutes, then stir in ¼ cup minced basil leaves and a pinch of pepper.
Taste and season with salt as needed (we haven’t added any yet, because bacon is salty!)
Allow to cool.
Pasta & Sauce:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound of pasta until al dente. **RESERVE 2 CUPS OF THE COOKING LIQUID BEFORE YOU DRAIN THE PASTA!!** Do not rinse the pasta!
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Cook 1 minced shallot and 2 minced garlic cloves until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in 6 ounces tomato paste and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes and continue cooking until the paste is turning a nice deep red color.
Stir in ¼ cup vodka and cook for 2 minutes, until combined. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid. Stir in ½ cup parmesan until melted and smooth. Stir in the pasta and a small amount of pasta cooking liquid at a time if needed for the sauce to be very thick and cling to each noodle perfectly. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Serve and garnish with fresh basil and more Parmesan.
Tagliatelle
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add ½ cup water and use a spoon to stir to combine. Add more water if needed to create a shaggy dough ball. Use your hand to start kneading the dough. Sticky? Add a bit of flour. Too dry? Add a bit of water.
Knead the dough until the dough ball is shiny, and not at all sticky.
Set aside, covered, for 15 to 30 minutes.
Flour a surface (you can use the bottom of a baking sheet if you don’t have a good surface) and roll out the dough ball until very thin.
Flour the top of the dough, then fold it up on itself over and over. Slice the roll ¼ inch thick to create long strands of pasta. Pick up the pasta and shake off the excess flour.