Creamy Penne with Bacon

This dish brings together the best of both worlds - homey comfort and fancy flair in a lush penne pasta bowl. Each bite gives you soft pasta covered in velvety sauce, with sweet peas popping and crunchy bacon bits adding flavor. It's amazing how such simple stuff can turn into something you'll remember long after dinner's over.

I first learned this dish in cooking school and it's stuck with me ever since. The game-changer was figuring out you need to cook the bacon slowly to build that amazing foundation that makes everything taste better.

Key Ingredients

• Penne Pasta: Go for the rough-textured kind that grabs onto sauce better
• Bacon: Don't skimp here - thick-cut gives you better bite and stronger taste than the thin stuff
• Frozen Peas: They bring natural sweetness that works against the salty bacon and keep their shape better than anything from a can
• Yellow Onion: Pick ones that feel heavy and don't have any soft spots for the sweetest flavor
• Heavy Cream: The fat makes your sauce smooth and stops it from breaking apart
• Reserved Pasta Water: This starchy liquid is the secret to getting your sauce just right
• Parmigiano Reggiano (Optional): Splurge on the real aged stuff if you can - it melts better and tastes amazing

Step-by-Step Guide

Bacon Preparation (10-12 minutes):

Slice bacon into small half-inch chunks for even cooking. Start with a cold pan and warm it up slowly to get all the good fat out. Cook until crispy but watch it doesn't burn, giving it a stir now and then. Scoop out with a slotted spoon but leave that tasty fat in the pan.

Building the Base (8-10 minutes):

Turn heat down to medium. Toss your finely chopped onions into the bacon fat. Cook them until they're see-through and starting to brown. Add some black pepper but hold off on salt since the bacon's already salty.

Pasta Perfection (10-12 minutes):

Get a big pot of water boiling hard. Salt it until it tastes like ocean water. Drop in your penne and set a timer for 2 minutes less than what the box says. Throw the frozen peas in during the last 3 minutes. Save a cup of the cooking water before you drain everything.

Creating the Sauce (5-7 minutes):

Put your onion skillet back on medium heat. Pour in the heavy cream and keep stirring. Let it bubble gently until it thickens a bit. Add half the saved pasta water and mix it in. Crack in some black pepper and taste it before adding any salt.

Final Assembly (3-5 minutes):

Add your drained pasta and peas to the skillet. Mix in the crispy bacon. Stir everything gently until the pasta is coated nicely. Splash in more pasta water if it looks too thick. Let it sit for a minute so the flavors can come together.

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I grew up in an Italian-American home where we always saved pasta water like it was precious. Just last week I showed my niece how to make this dish, and seeing her amazed face when the starchy water transformed the sauce was awesome. It's these small cooking tricks that really make food special.

Heat Management

Watching your temperature is super important in this recipe. If your pan's too hot when you add cream, your sauce might split. I always take the pan off the heat for a second before pouring in the cream, then put it back on medium-low to get that silky smooth finish.

Pasta Options

Penne works great, but I've tried lots of shapes over the years. Rigatoni gives you bigger bites that feel more filling, while orecchiette makes little cups that catch peas perfectly. Just pick something sturdy enough to stand up to the thick sauce and mix-ins.

Changing With The Seasons

In springtime, I sometimes use fresh English peas if I can find them - they only need 2 minutes in the boiling water. During summer, I might toss in some halved cherry tomatoes right at the end for bright flavor pops. In winter, a tiny pinch of nutmeg in the cream sauce adds a cozy touch.

Chef's Secrets

* Don't wash your pasta after cooking - the starch helps sauce stick
* Slightly freeze your bacon before cutting for easier, cleaner slices
* Let cream sit out for a bit before using for a smoother sauce
* Want extra flavor? Finish with a little drizzle of good olive oil

This pasta captures everything I love about Italian cooking - taking basic ingredients and turning them into something amazing through careful cooking. Whether it's just a weeknight family meal or dinner with friends, it always brings happy faces around the table.

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Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why put peas in halfway through cooking pasta?

This lets the peas cook just right without overcooking, and it keeps things simple by using the same pot.

→ Why undercook the pasta by one minute?

It keeps the pasta firm and stops it from overcooking when mixed with the creamy sauce.

→ Can I prepare this ahead of time?

It’s best fresh because pasta keeps cooking and can lose its ideal texture if left too long.

→ How can I tell if more cream is needed?

If the sauce looks dry after mixing, add a bit more cream. It should coat the pasta lightly without being too soupy.

→ Why chop onions so small?

Smaller pieces cook faster and mix evenly with the bacon, spreading the flavor better.