Pasta with Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

Let’s pause for a moment, shall we, and be amazed that a mere one day after posting a review of The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living from Mark Bittman, I am already posting a recipe!  Yes, I know, some bloggers actually manage to try two or three recipes before they post a review cough*Natashya*cough, but I am not some food bloggers.  First of all I don’t have the patience to methodically try an assortment of recipes before I review the book, and second of all, I think I can pretty much tell by looking through the book whether it’s going to be good or not.

Like for example, this recipe.  I had it listed in yesterday’s review to try, because I thought it sounded good.  And I was right.  It was good.  It was lunchroom-envy good.  Yep, it makes people come sniffing around your lunch asking what your eating.  The combo of the bacon and the sweet potatoes just can’t be beat.  I don’t have to tell you how easy this was:  one roasting pan + one pot for pasta = one happy camper.

Pasta with Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 bacon slices or 4 ounces of pancetta, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and black pepper
• 2 teaspoons pimenton (smoked paprika)
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 8 ounces any cut pasta
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I subbed parsley)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oven to 400.  Put the sweet potatoes, bacon and oil in a large roasting pan (I used a braising pan), sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss.  Roast, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, dust with the paprika, add the onion to the pan, stir and continue roasting for another 15 minutes.

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water.  Drain and reserve some of the cooking water.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven and stir in a bout 1/2 cup of the cooking water, scraping up any browned bits.  Add  pasta, chives and cheese to the pan and toss to combine.  Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Serves 4

This will be my entry for Heart ‘n Soul Blog Hop. 

And

 

for this week’s Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Denise of Oh Taste n See .

and

for Tackling Bittman at A Moderate Life.

 

Cookbook Used: