Squash, Bacon, Goat Cheese Pasta
We make a lot of squash & pasta dishes in the summer time. I can't get enough of them! This has to be one of my absolute favorites so far (although I think any pasta that includes goat cheese is going to be at the top of my list!)
Original recipe from http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/recipe-squash-bacon-and-goat-cheese-pasta-with-basil-126650
Squash, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Pasta with Basil
serves two to three, generously
4 to 5 slices of bacon
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1/2 pound pasta (we prefer shapes like penne or gemelli to long noodles)
2 medium yellow squashes, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 ounces goat cheese
small handful of fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
salt and pepper
Cook the bacon in a large skillet (you'll be adding all of the pasta to this skillet later) until crispy. Remove, and let drain on paper towels. Add the onion to the bacon grease, season with salt and pepper, and cook on medium-low heat until very soft and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
While the onion is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente. Add the squash to the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of olive oil.
Scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta water, set aside, then drain the pasta and add to the pot with the squash and onions. Crumble the goat cheese on top and stir until it is distributed throughout the pasta, drizzling in the pasta water to help make the sauce creamy.
Crumble the bacon over the top, add the basil, and season to taste.
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I made a few slight changes, nothing huge. Instead of yellow squash, we used a large golden zucchini, a little less onion; and instead of cooking the onion and squash in the bacon grease, I sauteed the onions in the bacon grease for about 5 minutes on low, then removed the bacon grease and added a few TB of olive oil. Then I added the zucchini and finished cooking it all in the olive oil. I also didn't add salt and pepper, since we were using an herb goat cheese already.
This meal is definitely in my current top 5 favorite dishes!
Original recipe from http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/recipe-squash-bacon-and-goat-cheese-pasta-with-basil-126650
Squash, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Pasta with Basil
serves two to three, generously
4 to 5 slices of bacon
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1/2 pound pasta (we prefer shapes like penne or gemelli to long noodles)
2 medium yellow squashes, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 ounces goat cheese
small handful of fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
salt and pepper
Cook the bacon in a large skillet (you'll be adding all of the pasta to this skillet later) until crispy. Remove, and let drain on paper towels. Add the onion to the bacon grease, season with salt and pepper, and cook on medium-low heat until very soft and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
While the onion is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente. Add the squash to the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of olive oil.
Scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta water, set aside, then drain the pasta and add to the pot with the squash and onions. Crumble the goat cheese on top and stir until it is distributed throughout the pasta, drizzling in the pasta water to help make the sauce creamy.
Crumble the bacon over the top, add the basil, and season to taste.
---
I made a few slight changes, nothing huge. Instead of yellow squash, we used a large golden zucchini, a little less onion; and instead of cooking the onion and squash in the bacon grease, I sauteed the onions in the bacon grease for about 5 minutes on low, then removed the bacon grease and added a few TB of olive oil. Then I added the zucchini and finished cooking it all in the olive oil. I also didn't add salt and pepper, since we were using an herb goat cheese already.
This meal is definitely in my current top 5 favorite dishes!