Creamy Dreamy Pasta

So steak night fell through yesterday. No problem though, we're going to have them tonight. Instead, I made a wonderful Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Bacon from Kitchen Attempts. I am a garlic lover. If it was socially acceptable to smell like garlic, I would eat it more often. Luckily, I'm stuck at home for the next week--We have a test on Thursday, ick. Because I won't see any other humans for the next few days, I went all out and made this crazy garlic pasta. It uses three whole heads of roasted garlic. Roasted garlic is super easy to make, tastes delicious, and is so versatile. You can mix the cloves in a pasta, spread it on toast, or eat them with fruit. Here's some easy directions for roasted garlic from Simply Recipes. By roasting the garlic, it really tones down the spicy bite of the garlic, but leaves a wonderful sweet flavor.

Prior to yesterday, I had only experimented with roasted garlic once before and it was not very successful. I stumbled upon a vegan recipe for baked spinach pasta with a creamy roasted garlic sauce from Sweet Beet and Green Bean. I need to preface this with I have no problems with vegan cuisine, I just haven't had a dish I've really been wowed with. This dish was sort of like a fake alfredo sauce, the secret to the vegan creamyness--tofu. Yeah, seriously, tofu. Don't get me wrong, I love tofu, I mean it's practically in my genes. But this use of the bean curd was pretty icky. I even ended up added about a cup of parmesan cheese (I know, anti-vegan!!) and that still didn't help the dish whatsoever. In the end, I pawned off the dish to a couple of friends. Don't make this dish unless you enjoy bland monotone pasta.

Straying away from the vegan dish, the pasta from last night was great. It originally called for pancetta, which I love, but to be a little more economical I used some leftover turkey bacon. I also wish I could have used some parsley from my plant in the backyard, but it's a little sad looking right now, so I just used some out of a bottle. Also, I was able to use some of our great organic chili flakes from the CSA. They are amazing and taste so much better than the ones you throw on top of your pizza. This pasta is so easy, so creamy, and so tasty!

Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Bacon

• 3 heads of garlic, roasted (how to prepare roasted garlic)
  
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. chicken broth
  
• 1/4 c. sliced bacon or pancetta
• chili flakes
• parsley
• salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 box cooked pasta

Remove the roasted garlic from the skin and mash it with a fork.

In a non-stick pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onion until transparent and soft. Add the bacon and saute until golden brown. Add the mashed garlic and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the chili flakes and parsley.

Remove from heat and add the pasta. Mix and add in the cream and chicken broth. Serve with an extra sprinkle of parsley on top and parmesan cheese.