Italian Style Bacon Tomato Toss Recipes

ITALIAN-STYLE BACON & TOMATO TOSS

Steps:

• Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, cook tomatoes, dressing and garlic in skillet on medium-high heat 3 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
• Heat bacon as directed on package; cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Drain noodles; place in large bowl. Add tomato mixture, bacon and basil; mix lightly. Sprinkle with cheese.

BACON AND TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.
• Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.

ITALIAN BACON AND TOMATO RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cook bacon and onions in large skillet on medium heat until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally; drain.
• Add next 5 ingredients; mix well. Bring to boil. Simmer on low heat 5 min.
• Stir in 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. before serving. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

BACON AND TOMATO QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Layer on half of each tortilla: 1/4 cup cheese, 2 tablespoons diced tomatoes. 1 tablespoon bacon and 1 tablespoon basil. Fold each tortilla in half to form a half circle.
• Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with oil. Cook each quesadilla, over medium-high heat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until cheese is melted and tortilla is lightly browned.
• Cut the quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with sour cream.

BACON & TOMATO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Saute tomatoes in drippings until tender. Drain spaghetti; stir into skillet. Add the spinach, bacon, vinaigrette, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.

BACON-TOMATO-SPINACH RAVIOLI TOSS

Steps:

• In 5-quart Dutch oven, cook ravioli as directed on package; drain and return to Dutch oven. Meanwhile, on microwavable plate, microwave bacon 30 to 45 seconds on High until crisp.
• Add bacon, spinach, tomatoes and dressing to ravioli. Cook over medium heat until warmed and spinach is partially wilted. Sprinkle with pepper.

BACON-TOMATO CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Core the tomatoes and thinly slice. Place in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let drain for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off and reserve the drippings, leaving 1 tablespoon in the skillet; toast the bread on one side in the drippings until golden (do this in batches, adding more drippings as needed). Place the bread, toasted-side down, on a baking sheet.
• Combine the cheeses with the mayonnaise, scallions and parsley in a bowl. Spread the cheese mixture on the toasts, reserving about 1/3 cup. Crumble the bacon on top. Shake any excess liquid from the tomatoes; distribute the zucchini and tomatoes among the toasts. Dot with the reserved cheese mixture and season with pepper. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

ITALIAN-STYLE PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Add tortellini and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with a slotted spoon or refrigerate until serving.

TOMATO BACON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
• Crumble bacon into a medium-size mixing bowl. Mix in bell pepper, tomatoes, and basil. In a separate small bowl, combine mayonnaise and garlic.
• Roll pizza crust into a 12x15 inch rectangular baking sheet. Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the bacon mixture over the mayonnaise, and top the entire pizza with cheese.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until the top is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Cool and cut the pizza into 24 squares.

BUCATINI WITH ONION, BACON, AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Drain the canned tomatoes; save all the juices. Cut each tomato in quarters lengthwise; slice the quarters in strips, 1/2 inch wide.
• Start heating 6 quarts of water with 1 tablespoon of salt in a large pot, to cook the bucatini.
• Put 1/2 cup water in the wide skillet, and set it over medium-high heat. Dump in the sliced onions; spread them out and turn them over in the pan as the water starts to boil. Cook the onions, turning occasionally, for several minutes, until they're softened and the water is nearly evaporated.
• Pour the olive oil over the onions, toss in the crushed garlic cloves, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir well to coat all the onion slices with oil; cook for a couple of minutes or more, until onions and garlic are sizzling.
• Clear a space on one side of the skillet and scatter in the cured pork (guanciale, pancetta, or bacon). Heat and stir in the hot spot until they're rendering fat and sizzling, then stir in with the onions. Sprinkle the peperoncino in the pan, stir, and let everything cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until the onions and pork are caramelized and golden-adjust the heat so nothing burns.
• Now spill all the sliced tomatoes and their juices into the skillet, and stir well. Rinse the tomato containers with a couple cups of "slosh" water, and stir that in too; season with salt lightly. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring frequently, and then lower the heat to keep it simmering actively. Let the sauce cook and thicken for about 20 minutes, or until it has the consistency you like for pasta. (If you're pressed for time, concentrate the sauce at a boil, stirring frequently.)
• When the tomatoes have been added and the sauce is simmering, you can start cooking the bucatini. (If you prefer, prepare the sauce ahead of time. Stop cooking when nearly thickened and let it cool. Return it to the simmer as your pasta cooks.)
• With the water at a rolling boil, slide the bucatini into the pasta pot, letting the strands soften so they don't break, and fanning them out so they don't stick together. Stir well, cover the pot to bring the water back to the boil over high heat, then cook partially covered.
• Stir the bucatini occasionally, and check doneness frequently. When the sauce has thickened, taste it and adjust seasoning-keep in mind that the Pecorino Romano will add salt.
• When the bucatini are cooked through but still al dente, lift them from the cooking pot with tongs, drain for just a moment, then drop them right onto the simmering sauce. Toss together continuously, over moderate heat, for a couple of minutes, until the pasta is perfectly cooked and evenly coated with sauce. If the dish is dry, ladle in a bit of hot pasta water from the cooking pot. If the sauce is soupy, toss over higher heat to concentrate.
• Turn off the heat, and toss in the grated cheese. Drizzle over it a final flourish of olive oil, and serve, either directly from the skillet or in a warm serving bowl, passing additional cheese at the table.

BACON, TOMATO, & CHEESE ON TOAST

Steps:

• Toast bread.
• Place bacon on top.
• Then tomatoes.
• Now cheese.
• Toast in toaster oven or microwave.
• You may put the ingredients on differently after you get the hang of them-- darn I don't have any bacon!