Mmm.

I have no idea if my Spanish is correct-- but I've revisited one of my most favorite pasttimes this evening: cooking for someone special! Two things, right up front. The "someone special" is Ms. Molly, not some comely and clever chap, and please refrain from bitching about how I should consider myself "someone special". I cook for myself all the time, and trust me, I don't cut corners. I treat Dana very well, food-wise.

Molly is heading back to DC tomorrow morning, and I offered to cook us dinner instead of shelling out more of our hard-earned dollars. Conveniently, I am comfortable, daresay adept, in the kitchen, so everyone wins. This is what I made:

Pasta alla ragazza capace (I came up with this name not 7 seconds ago. It means "pasta in the style of a clever girl". Mock all you want, but bear in mind that pasta puttanesca means "pasta in the style of a whore". True story.)

Ingredients
Whole wheat fettucine, pappardelle, linguine, whatever
REAL Parmigiana Reggiano cheese
fresh arugula
carrot (baby carrots are for assholes)
onion (I use the little yellow ones)
chicken broth
turkey bacon (HEY! Shut it! It's delicious! And pork fat is just NOT a good idea on a regular weekday night.)
fresh basil

Note: the vegetables used in this recipe are somewhat interchangeable. I find that little else makes me happier than cooking onions in olive oil, so I use them. I like the taste of arugula and I like the nutrient firepower in spinach, so I use carrot to balance them out. Also, I like to peel the carrots, and then use the peeler to create ribbons, instead of slicing or dicing. That way, all of the elements of the final dish are of a similar shape-- long, lean strands. The onions are sliced into thin strands, the leafy greens become sort of stringy, etc. Plus, who doesn't like ribbon? Lastly, the Parm and basil are certainly not the only options; they happen to be my favorite. I am still learning my way around herbs and how to pair them with other ingredients. In the meantime, I know that I like Parm and basil together, and that I can find them with relative ease at my grocery store.

Heat a scosh of olive oil in a skillet. Cook the turkey bacon in the oil until it is crispy and awesome. Remove bacon and set aside. Add onion and carrot to oil and drippings, with a little s&p. Inhale deeply. Aww, yeah. Once they get soft and pretty, add the arugula and spinach. Cook the pasta in chicken broth to the point just before al dente. Drain the pasta, but reserve some of the cooking liquid.

Add the drained pasta to the vegetables, and add some of the cooking broth. Chop the cooked bacon into Bac'n'Bits-sized pieces. Grate as much cheese as you want. Be generous. Chop the basil. Add bacon, cheese, and basil to pasta, and toss. Add more broth and more olive oil to create a light sauce. (The starch from the pasta infuses the cooking broth-- when you add the cooking broth to the skillet, and let it cook down a bit, the sauce will thicken.) Play around until everything looks totally f-ing delicious. Add some more s&p if necessary. Serve. Groan with primal satisfaction.

I made this dish for Molly, and it worked out very nicely. This is the second time I've made the dish, and it makes for SWEET leftovers. I like to add new veggies when I reheat the leftovers-- roasted Brussels sprouts and peas are two of my favorites. Also, a few cannelini beans would be a good way to increase the protein content. (Bacon and creamy cannelini beans is a great combination.)

Good night!