Play Me a Recipe: Amanda Hesser makes Daddy's Pasta

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters.If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Amanda starts listing them at 0:40) before  starting the episode.Daddy's Pasta8 ounces bacon, cut in 1/4-inch slices1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1/2 cup tomato paste2 pinches red pepper flakes1 3/4 cups canned chopped tomatoes (preferably Pomi)1 pound rotelleGrated Parmesan, for servingBring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.Meanwhile, spread the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat; brown the bacon and render the fat. Scoop out the bacon and set aside on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan, then add 1/4 cup olive oil to the pan and warm over medium heat.Drop in the tomato paste and add the red pepper flakes; turn the heat to low and stir just until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and turn off the heat.Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until truly al dente—you’ll be cooking it a bit more with the sauce. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.Add the pasta, bacon, and the reserved pasta water to the tomato sauce, then stir and toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated. Season with salt if necessary, then add the 3 tablespoon olive oil, tossing well. Serve immediately, with a sprinkling of Parmesan on top of each bowlful.Have a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Email it to us at [email protected].