- Salt
- 1 pound bucatini
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling, plus 1 tablespoon
- 8 slices smoky bacon, chopped
- 3-4 spring Vidalia onions with a few inches of green tops intact, very thinly sliced or 2 leeks, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, then washed and dried
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 1 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped or 1 jalapeño or red Fresno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 pints ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- Black pepper
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls), chopped
- A handful of basil leaves, torn or shredded
- A generous handful of grated Pecorino cheese, plus some to pass at table
Heat a large pot of water to a boil for bucatini, season water with salt then cook pasta to al dente.
In a deep skillet or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp; remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off some fat if the pan has more than a couple of tablespoons of drippings. Add the sliced spring Vidalia onions or leeks, garlic and hot pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and stir to combine; cover the pan. Shake the pan occasionally and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, 6-8 minutes. Uncover the pot and mash up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, add the wine and stir for 1-2 minutes. Season the sauce with some salt and black pepper, to taste, then reduce the heat to low.
When the pasta is ready, add a ladle of the starchy cooking water to the sauce along with the parsley, bacon and bucatini and toss for 1-2 minutes with an extra tablespoon of EVOO. Turn off the heat and toss in the basil and cheese; serve immediately.