[ Nasasobu, Vanua Levu, Fiji, 16-45.01 S, 179-51.098 E ]
While we were moored in Savusavu, Fiji, Davide and Elisa, a young Italian couple of the sailboat Equinox, dinghied over to Carina in the early evening and presented us with a gift of fresh pasta that Davide had just prepared (Davide is a chef by profession). We hadn't planned on pasta for supper but who could resist fresh pasta? The hour was (relatively) late for cooking up our normal sauce recipe so Philip improvised with a sauce that would be very quick to prepare. What follows is that recipe that has become a house favorite..
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100 grams of smoked bacon, cut into small pieces |
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250 ml (~ 1/2 cup) olive oil |
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2 small fresh tomatoes, (preferably peeled) diced |
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2 Tbsp dry red Italian wine |
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1 small onion, minced |
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1 clove garlic, minced |
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1 tsp black pepper or dried red pepper flakes for a spicier version |
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1 Tbsp dried basil or 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn in small pieces |
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a splash of balsamic vinegar |
In a sauce pan, add a small amount of olive oil and saute the bacon until crisp Add the rest of the olive oil, onion, pepper and garlic and cook over low heat until the onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and dried basil and saute for 2 minutes (if using fresh basil, wait until just before the sauce is cooked before adding) . Add wine and vinegar and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over your favorite pasta. Serves two though recipe can be expanded to serve more.