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Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Pasta

This is the perfect dinner for Valentine’s Day! A velvety and flavor-packed sun-dried tomato & bacon cream sauce over gluten-free bowtie pasta. Delicious, indulgent, and classy - a date night must!
Course Main Course
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 oz gluten-free bowtie pasta or pasta of choice, I used Jovial
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
  • 4 pieces of bacon
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil excess oil removed and chopped
  • Half a large shallot diced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese plus more for topping
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice plus lemon zest for topping
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions, salting the water heavily (as salty as the sea). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta.

  2. While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set on paper towels to soak up extra grease then chop the bacon. Wipe the pan clean, leaving about 1 tablespoon bacon fat.

  3. Add in the sun-dried tomatoes and shallots and cook until the shallot is translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic and capers and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the chopped bacon to the shallot mixture and mix until well-combined. Remove the bacon shallot mixture from the pan.

  4. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add in the flour and cook for about 1 minutes until the flour combines with the olive oil and creates a paste like substance. Raise the heat to medium-high. Slowly whisk in the broth and heavy cream and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (it should be able to coat the back of a spoon) about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  5. Add the bacon shallot mixture to the cream mixture. Whisk in the parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

  6. Add the pasta to the cream sauce, making sure the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. If too thick, add in the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until reached desired consistency and the pasta is creamy and well tossed.

  7. Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with extra parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and parsley.
  8. Serve and enjoy!