Pappardelle with Arugula and Bacon

I love arugula (which is known as rocket in some areas outside the US). It is kind of peppery and really adds a good kick to whatever you put it in. I am always searching for ways to use it, besides just as a salad green. When I saw this recipe from Cooking Light, I thought that it sounded good. I used it as a base, and made some of my own modifications. I didn't have any cherry tomatoes, but I did have a jar of roasted red peppers (thanks to my too-frequent trips to the gourmet food section of Marshall's). It sounded like a good substitution, I mean they're both red, right? I also had some bacon in my fridge. I had bought some uncured bacon from the grocery store and really needed to try it. I needed to.

This was wonderful. The bacon was fantastic. It tasted like the bacon of my youth. Hey, what a great name for a rock band "The Bacon Of My Youth." I'm not sure what made it taste soooo good, whether it was the fact that it was uncured, or that the pigs were "certified humanely treated." They were allowed to do whatever pigs are allowed to do, and they weren't feed antibiotics or hormones. Whatever, it was really, really good. Though, I have to admit, I've never met a slice of bacon that I didn't fall in love with.

Pappardelle with Arugula and Bacon
Serves 4

9 oz uncooked pappardelle
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (maybe)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
3 or 4 roasted red peppers, diced
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (or more, how ever much you feel is necessary)
juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
5 cups arugula, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh shaved parmesan

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water. Drain.

While pasta cooks, brown bacon in skillet. Remove and let drain on paper towels. Pour off as much of the fat as you'd like. Add olive to skillet, if you wanted to use it instead of the tasty bacon fat (I'll let you figure out which I used). Add red pepper flakes and garlic, cook for about 1 minute and add roasted red peppers. Cook for about 1 more minute, turn off heat, add lemon juice, arugula, and cooked pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh shaved parmesan cheese on top.

This will be my entry for this weeks Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by the ever fabulous Kevin of Closet Cooking.