Ingredients:

  • 12 oz Fettuccine or Linguine pasta
  • 6 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for serving
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Reserved starchy pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Crucially: Reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining the pasta.
  2. While the pasta cooks, add diced bacon to a cold, large, deep skillet. Turn heat to medium and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is perfectly crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon bits and place them on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the pan.
  3. Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and sauté gently until soft (about 4 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, whisk in the flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste (creating a roux).
  5. If using, pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan; let it bubble and reduce by half.
  6. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and stock until the sauce is smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it thicken slightly (about 3-5 minutes). Reduce heat to low.
  7. Remove the pan from the direct heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese in batches until the sauce is smooth and velvety. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved starchy pasta water, a splash at a time, if the sauce seems too thick.
  8. Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss vigorously to ensure every strand is well coated. Stir in three-quarters of the reserved crispy bacon bits.
  9. Serve immediately in warm bowls. Top each serving with the remaining crispy bacon, an extra grating of Parmesan, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.