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Creamy Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• 225g penne pasta
• 250-300g chopped bacon
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 red capsicum, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 425g can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1t red pepper flakes
• freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 3T cream OR 60g cream cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 130g bag fresh spinach OR frozen spinach

Directions

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender (7-10) minutes). Save 1/2c of pasta water.
Drain the pasta in a colander.
While waiting for the pasta to cook, add the bacon, onion and garlic to a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).
Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and the 1/2 cup of pasta water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
Turn the heat down to low. Add the cream/cream cheese to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the sauce is creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
Add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3-5 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.