Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes Orecchiette with Bacon and Tomato Sauce 3.7 (26) 3 Reviews By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 16, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 To give basic tomato sauce an extra kick, turn to bacon and red-pepper flakes. Just a little of each gives the sauce a lightly spicy, smoky flavor. Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 pound orecchiette or other short pasta Grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley, for serving Directions In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add bacon and cook until browned and almost crisp, about 4 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking them up as you go, and season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted water, cook pasta 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot. Add sauce and pasta water to pasta and toss to combine; cook over medium-high until sauce thickens and coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate 3 cups pasta for a separate dish. Serve remaining pasta topped with Parmesan and parsley. Cook's Notes Store the leftover pasta in a resealable container in the refrigerator; use it to make a Pasta and Cheese Frittata. Rate it Print