Cheese Gilded Linguine With Smoky Tomatoes

My husband loves NPR and as a result, I do too.  I adore the Splendid Table and that is where this recipe came from.  The only issue I had with this recipe is the cheese did not guild the pasta, more like clumped a bit and stuck to the bowl and utensils but in the end it was yummy so I forgive them for having me picture each noodle being sheathed in a cheese coat.  The kids really dug it too.  The  boy ate a monstrous portion and, adjusting for size, so did the girl!  The girl also punctuated her bite with phrases like "this is my favorite pasta," " can we have this for breakfast."  You get the picture.  It was also pretty easy to make.  They said that the sauce could sit on the stove for a hour before using, so I had it working and done before the boy was home from karate, and had the water at a simmer covered, so when he was home, all I had to do was cook the noodles.  It was also economical.  The huge portion of pasta, which we could all eat two meals out of, and a salad was less than $10.



Cheese Gilded Linguine With Smoky Tomatoes
 
5 Qt salted water in a 6-quart pot
Good tasting extra-virgin olive oil
6 thick slices bacon sliced into 1/4-inch sticks
1 medium to large onion chopped into 1/4-inch dice
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to -taste
1/4 Tsp hot red pepper flakes or to taste
5 large garlic cloves minced
2 -1/2 to 3 pounds delicious ripe -tomatoes, cored and fine chopped (do
-not peel or seed), or a 28-ounce can -whole tomatoes with their liquid, plus
-a 14-ounce can, drained
1 Lb imported linguine
1 generous cup fresh-grated Parmigiano -Reggiano cheese, plus more for the table
Instructions
 1. Have the salted water boiling.
 2. Lightly film a straight-sided 12-inch saut pan with oil, add the
bacon, and set over medium-high heat. Saut until the bacon is golden.
Remove it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all
but about 3 tablespoons fat from the pan.
 3. Return the pan to the heat, stirring in the onions, salt, pepper,
and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium. Saut the onions until they
soften and start to color, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Blend in the garlic, cooking for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes. If
using canned ones, crush them as they go into the pan. Blend in the
cooked bacon. Bring the sauce to a lively bubble and cook until it is
thick, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir the sauce to keep it from sticking. Remove
from the heat, taste for seasoning, and cover the pan. The sauce can
wait on the stove top up to an hour. Bring it to a bubble before adding
to the pasta.
 5. Drop the pasta in the boiling water, cook until tender but still at
little firm to the bite, drain, and turn it into a serving bowl. Toss
with the 1 cup of cheese until it clings to the noodles, then toss with
the sauce. Serve hot with additional cheese at the table if desired.