Bacon With Bitter Greens And Pasta Recipes

PASTA WITH WILTED GREENS, BACON AND FRIED EGG

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's just al dente. (It should still have quite a bite to it; you'll finish cooking it in the skillet.) Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it has rendered all its fat and the pieces are crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate or bowl, leaving the fat behind in the skillet; set bacon aside.
• Return the skillet with the bacon fat to medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Fry the eggs, using a spoon to encourage the bacon fat to come up around the whites and cause them to puff slightly. Cook the eggs until the whites are just set and crisped around the edges and the yolk is still bright yellow and runny, about 3 minutes.
• Using a spatula, transfer eggs to another paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon fat behind; set eggs aside.
• Return the skillet with the bacon fat to medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it's softened and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add kale by the handful, letting it wilt between additions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the kale is totally wilted and softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water to the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom. Season with salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Continue to cook at medium heat, tossing the pasta occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced by about half, about 2 minutes.
• Add remaining 1/2 cup pasta water and continue to cook, tossing to encourage the starches to release, until you've got a thick, glossy sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes. (The pasta should also be completely tender at this point.) Add 1/4 cup grated cheese and more freshly ground pepper; toss to coat.
• Divide pasta among bowls and crumble crispy bacon over. Top with additional cheese and a fried egg. Make sure to break the yolk before eating.

BACON WITH BITTER GREENS AND PASTA

Steps:

• Olive oil + bacon + onions (NOTHING ELSE) in pan until they're brown, then add 2 cups of H2O and the garlic (it burns easily, so you don't want to risk it with the bacon/onions). Bring to a fast simmer. Add about a cup of SMALL dried pasta, something like ditalini, orchetti, little bow ties, anything in that vein. Stir occasionally as the pasta cooks and absorbs the liquid. When the water's mostly absorbed and the pasta almost done add the GREENS. Hit this with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, stir to incorporate, and then put the lid on this. Also if you can handle heat, I highly recommend some red pepper flakes here - CHOICE Wait 3 minutes, open lid and check if the rawness has cooked off the greens (should be dark green, glossy from olive oil), pasta is done. If not yet, give it another minute or two, but you should be close. Once greens ready and pasta done, dump out, feast.

COLLARD GREENS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Place bacon in a heavy pot and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Drain off 1/2 of the bacon grease.
• Reduce heat to medium and add onion. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and immediately pour in 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add chopped collard greens and 1 more cup of water. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until greens are tender, about 1 hour.

PASTA WITH BITTER GREENS AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep skillet, pot, or Dutch oven with a lid. Add the onion and cook for 10-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring periodically. While the onions are cooking, start the pasta water on high heat in a separate large pot.
• When the onions are soft, add the chopped greens to the skillet, lightly salt, and stir until the greens start wilting. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat. You can cook it for longer if the pasta still isn't ready, over a lower flame.
• Meanwhile, when the water in the pot starts boiling, add the pasta and cook until firm to the bite (it will cook further in the sauce so be careful not to overcook at this point). When it is almost done, add the crumbled feta to the sauce, keeping the heat on low.
• When the pasta is ready, scoop it up with a slotted spoon or strainer, holding it over the pot of water to drain, and then add the drained noodles in batches to the sauce in the skillet, mixing thoroughly.
• Cook the finished pasta on low heat for a few minutes. Then add a grating of Parmesan, if you like, and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately; the author recommends serving on plates pre-warmed in the oven.