An E~Mail and Pasta~

Ahh... the power of an e~mail! I am on a Barilla mailing list and this recipe was e~mailed to me before work yesterday..I had everything on hand~And thought about eating it most of the afternoon..It's good:)




Penne Integrali con Asparagi e Bacon Croccante~
Penne.. petites tomates.. bacon and asparagus..

I added some pasta cooking liquid and did not cook my bacon seperately..What's the point?:)I simply sautéed all the veggies in the bacon and added quite a bit of cheese..and hot chili peppers and rosemary..I didn't have whole wheat penne..so used regular~

It works for us~

My tulips are opening beautifully even though the days have been cloudy~





It's like having your garden coming to life way before it's time..

Pasta.. took on a whole new meaning for me in Italy..Bread in France..Pasta in Italy..(Both..wine:) )I think we sampled one kind or another in every town.

Venice held it's own special dining charm~



The tables remind me of the sinuous rows of gondolas that I loved so well~This is not the resto we ate in.. by the time we ate..it was even MORE beautiful.. w/ all the lights reflecting on the canals..we ate in a charming little resto w/ the handsomest host:)I loved the fact that a woman..perhaps 90 truly..spoke on her cellphone in a dark corner at the back eating w/ her 90 yr old companion.I pictured them speaking to one of their children saying their 5th honeymoon was everything they had ever hoped for:)

Here is the recipe from Barilla if you care to try it..
I always warm my plates first.More comfort..on chilly days w/ wanton snowflakes:(

Barilla® Whole Grain Penne with Asparagus and Crispy Bacon (Penne Integrali con Asparagi e Bacon Croccante) Ease of preparation: easy

Prep Time: 6 minutes

Cook time: 18 minutes

Servings: 4-6

Regions:

Wine pairing: White





Ingredients

1 box BARILLA Whole Grain Penne
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 pound asparagus, sliced thin on bias
1 pint cherry tomatoes
to taste salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
1 cup bacon, julienne



BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
HEAT a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Crush garlic gently with the side of a knife and sauté. Add asparagus and tomatoes to skillet with the garlic; season with salt and pepper.
SAUTE bacon in a separate skillet until crispy. Drain excess fat from bacon Meanwhile,
COOK Whole Grain Penne according to the directions and drain.
REMOVE garlic from skillet. Add pasta and bacon; toss with the sauce

Easy and good.