Quick Spaghetti with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

Go ahead and render your bacon. Cook it in a skillet over medium heat until it’s crispy. Once crisp, transfer bacon to a plate to dry. Pour off 1/2 the bacon grease, but keep the rest in the skillet. Once it’s cooled, crumble the bacon and set aside.

Throw the tomatoes into a food processor. Pulse until smooth and saucy.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet, over medium-high. Add the garlic and heat for not even a minute. Add half the basil, the crushed red pepper and paprika and cook another 20 seconds. Add the tomatoes, wine and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes. It should reduce a tad. Taste it. Too acidy? Add that honey and cook another minute. It should cut some of the acid and add a nice subtle sweet hint.

Cook the pasta until it reaches al dente (according to package instructions for al dente). Using tongs, remove cooked pasta from the pasta water and add it directly into the sauce. Toss to combine.

Serve pasta with remaining basil and fresh parmesan shavings! Top with bacon bits, good grief. Maybe one more drizzle of oil – and do it.