Sizzling Herb Pasta with Bacon and White Beans

I have found some of the best recipes from other food bloggers! It is such a treat to try recipes from trusted sources - there is almost no doubt that it will work out! As one who loves to try a sure thing, I really appreciate the depth of description and detail found in recipes on food blogs. I can be confident that someone has put the recipe under the sort of scrutiny that I, myself, would have done.

I was very pleased with the result of this pasta dish and I will definitely make this again! I have tweaked it a bit (I couldn't help myself...) but not all that much. Thanks to Kate from Pie in the Sky for the great recipe! She’s right about it having a lot of flavor and very few ingredients! I added more lemon juice to her recipe and olive oil, as my pasta was a bit dry. This would be great with gnocchi or cheese ravioli, too!

Sizzling Herb Pasta with Bacon and White Beans

1 can (15 oz) white beans, rinsed and drained
6 slices thick bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces, or smaller
zest of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz (3/4 of 1 pound box) fusilli, spirals, or any short pasta
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped (yes! 1 cup!)
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
2-3 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper (lots of pepper!)
grated Romano or Asiago cheese, for topping

Whisk together the lemon zest, juice, garlic and 1 Tbsp of olive oil in the pasta serving bowl. Add the white beans and gently combine with the dressing.

Sauté the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon to leave behind the bacon grease in the pan. You will need to use about 1/4 cup bacon drippings, so pour off any excess. (I guess my lardons weren't very fatty b/c I had to add olive oil).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and combine with the beans. Add the bacon to the pasta, as well.

In the skillet, heat up the bacon drippings, and/or olive oil, until quite hot. Throw in the chopped herbs and stir for 15 seconds while they sizzle. Add these herbs and bacon drippings/olive oil to the pasta and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with grated cheese. Serves 4.