Best Bacon With Bitter Greens And Pasta Recipes

HONEYCRISP APPLE, CHEDDAR, BACON AND BITTER GREENS SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat a griddle over medium-high heat.
• Lay the bacon strips on the griddle. Cook the bacon until browned and crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and reserve the bacon fat.
• To build your grilled cheese, place 1/4 cup of the cheese on the bottom of a slice of bread. Top with 2 slices bacon, 4 slices apple, some arugula, 1/4 cup more of the cheese and another slice of bread. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Spread each side of the sandwich with some of the butter. Griddle until the bread is toasted, golden brown and delicious, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Cut each sandwich into 4 pieces and serve.

SPAGHETTI WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook spaghetti according to package directions for al dente., In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally; drain. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce; bring to a boil., Drain spaghetti; transfer to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Spread sauce over top. Bake, covered, 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

SPAGHETTI WITH SAUTEED COLLARDS AND BACON

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Add the oil to the fat in the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir in the garlic and cook until very fragrant and golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the collards, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, turning with tongs, until the collards are tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water, and then drain the pasta.
• Toss the spaghetti with the collards and some of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Crumble the reserved bacon over the spaghetti and serve sprinkled with the red pepper flakes.

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.

PASTA WITH GRILLED SARDINES AND BITTER GREENS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy, straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; continue to cook, stirring occasionally until very soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes.
• Add dandelion greens and saute until just beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add frisee and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until greens are tender.
• Heat grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Drizzle sardines with lemon juice. Season sardines with salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes per side and transfer to a cutting board. Fillet the sardines, discarding bones; set aside.
• Add pasta to boiling water until al dente, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Add pasta to the greens mixture and gently stir in lemon zest, parmesan, and sardine fillets. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in enough of the reserved cooking water to form a sauce. Serve immediately with additional lemon zest, cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.