Penne Mustacelle

I have a confession: I’m almost entirely Italian, but it wasn’t until January that I learned how to properly pronounce Italian words. So, in light of that, I’m going to teach you. It’s moost-a-chell-ay.

This dish is one of the first to stain the rims of my lips orange as an antsy kid sitting half-on, half-off my kitchen chair. Some things calm even the wildest of children and the most anxious of adults. This dish does that. It demands it.

It also demands you sop up the orange oil with semolina bread and fill your stomach, but that’s just my opinion. When you fall in love, it’s always biased. And this is one of my first loves.

Penne Mustacelle: Penne with Bacon, Tomatoes & Onions
Makes 4 main dish servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 lb. bacon, chopped
2 spoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp. garlic clove, chopped
28 oz. can of peeled tomatoes
6 leaves of fresh basil
1/2 tbsp. salt & pepper mix (3:1 ratio)
1 tbsp. white wine
1 lb. penne pasta

Directions:
Add onion, olive oil and bacon to a saute pan. Cover and steam for 10-15 minutes. Once the onions and bacon turn golden brown, add garlic and cook for 1-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add white wine, basil and salt & pepper mix. Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the penne pasta as directed on the package or until al dente. Mix with the onion, bacon and tomatoes and serve.

Note: Your best bet, for the salt and pepper mix, is to make a big batch beforehand and store it in a glass dish for easy sprinkling over all your favorites: roasted potatoes, chicken, pasta and more.