la violette pensée

Fettuccine alla Gemma

So, tonight, I needed to come up with something for dinner, and since the power outage following the Supercolliderderecho, there’s not much left in the house that didn’t get tossed. However, I managed to scrape up enough goodies without running back out to the grocer to make a very delicious pasta dish that I have decided shall be my signature pasta (OK, so I couldn’t think of any other clever names for it, and it really is good enough for me to be proud to put my name to it.)

It was sort of inspired by the fact that the only meat in the house was bacon, I couldn’t decide between making alla Carbonara (but I didn’t want the eggs) or all’Amatriciana (but I didn’t have tomatoes), and I wanted it to be quick and easy. I also have some lemons sitting on the counter that have been taunting me. As both alla Carbonara and all’Amatriciana are dishes from the Lazio region of Italia, I suggest using wines from the same.

Fettuccine alla Gemma

5 July 2012
by Gemma Seymour-Amper
Serves 4-8

3/4 c. EVOO
8 oz. bacon, pancetta, or guanciale, diced
4 lg. cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
1/4 c. vino bianco (Frascati, Pinot Grigio, etc.)
1 lb. fettuccine
salted water
2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, julienned (dry packed, reconstitute in 1/2 c. boiling water while you make everything else)
2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
zest of 1/2 lemon
lemon wedges for squeezing


Sauté bacon in 2 Tbsp. EVOO over medium heat until crisp. Drain and set aside, reserving 2 Tbsp. oil. Sauté garlic in reserved oil until fragrant, just to take off the edge. Prepare a vinaigrette by whisking together remaining EVOO, garlic, lemon juice, and vino bianco, and reserve.

Boil fettuccine in salted water until al dente. Drain and return to pot.

Toss fettuccine with bacon, vinaigrette, tomatoes, and 1 oz. of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Remove to warmed serving dish, and top with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, basil, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Drizzle with a bit of EVOO, and serve with a green salad, or other vegetables, and a crisp red wine.