Salsa All'Amatriciana (via Giada)

This recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis' cookbook "Everyday Italian."

You can buy the book here, and I recommend you do, because I love Giada AND her recipes:

http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Italian-Simple-Delicious-Recipes/dp/1400052580

So I had most of the ingredients, and some extras, and needed to make an easy pasta dinner for a busy family night.  You know the kind, where people come and go at different times.

Don't shy away at the kale.  It's yummy, healthy, and easy to chop and hide in a sauce.  You can sub spinach or escarole, easily.

Salsa All'Amatriciana


8 ounces bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more if necessary
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 bunch kale, washed, stemmed and chopped
1 tsp (or more) red chile flakes
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 - 28 ounce can tomato puree or sauce
salt and pepper
1/2 - 3/4 cup hard dry cheese, grated (parm, romano, whatever you have)
1 pound cooked spaghetti

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat and add the bacon.  Cook until brown and crisp, 7-8 minutes.  Remove the bacon from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate, and drain off most of the grease from the pan.  If you need a bit more oil, add it now.  Turn the heat down to medium low, and add the onion, garlic, kale and chile flakes.  Saute for 5-6 minutes until soft, then add the wine.  Simmer for a minute, add the tomato puree and return the bacon to the sauce.  Taste, add salt and pepper, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.  You may want to add a bit of the pasta water at the end to loosen up the sauce.  You decide.  At the very end, off the heat, stir in the cheese.

Serve the sauce over spaghetti.