Joe and Heidi's Bacon Arrabiata Pasta

Joe and I love bacon. Mom's recent post about the best kind of bacon made me laugh because we just don't discriminate--all bacon is good to us (yes Mom, I am sure that Daily's is in fact superior). We almost always have bacon in the freezer (usually half a pack leftover from a Saturday brunch).

One of our favorite last minute dinners when we have next to nothing in the house (and of course friends show up for dinner unexpectedly) is this pasta dish.

Ingredients:
Pasta
Bacon (or Pancetta if you want to be fancy)
Large can of tomatoes
Red Pepper Flakes
Optional: Cayenne, Garlic, Tomato paste

Boil a large pot of salted water. Chop bacon into smallish pieces (or use scissors like I do) and saute in a small amount of olive oil (the bacon will render plenty) until it browns up (but not crispy). If you have any garlic, you can add some minced garlic here, cook until brown. If there is a lot of oil, pour some out of the pan. Add one can of tomatoes (I prefer chopped, but whatever you have on hand). Add some red pepper flakes and a pinch of cayenne to taste (I like it hot, so this is optional). While this cooks, toss the pasta into the boiling water. Cook the sauce for until it thickens, or if you're impatience like me, add some tomato paste (I like the kind that comes in a tube, rather than the can) and serve over the pasta. Best served with a big glass of chianti and some crusty bread.