Michael Symon's Fettuccine with Smoked Tomato Sauce _ Symon's Dinners Cooking Out _ Food Network

The Art of Cooking a Hearty Pasta Dish

To begin with, we start by preparing our pasta. We take a full dice on this guy we left the roots on because we're gonna dice it if we're gonna slice, so we carefully remove the roots and proceed to dice the remaining portion into small cubes. We then spin it flat end is towards us, go 90 percent of the way through again, creating perfectly diced pasta.

Next, we turn our attention to cooking the bacon. We take a little bit of bacon, crisp it up slightly, but not too much, as we want to render fat and get slightly crispy. The goal is not to make the bacon crunchy, but rather to bring out its natural flavors. As the bacon crisps, we prepare our aromatics by chopping fresh garlic and herbs such as oregano, thyme, and rosemary. We also add a pinch of salt to the onions and garlic to enhance their flavor.

With our aromatics prepared, we add them to the pan with the bacon, along with some chili flakes if desired. We then pour in a small amount of white wine, which will reduce by half as it cooks down, adding depth and richness to our sauce. As the wine reduces, we scrape up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, which have accumulated during the cooking process.

While the wine is reducing, we add diced tomatoes to the pan, allowing them to simmer in their own juices. We also take a moment to prepare some fresh herbs, including oregano and thyme, and chop them up roughly. These will be added to our sauce later, as well as some grated parmesan cheese.

As the sauce continues to cook down, we add it to our perfectly cooked pasta, which has been tossed with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. We then take out any excess water from the pasta to ensure that it coats evenly with the sauce. The result is a harmonious balance of flavors, with each component complementing the others.

Finally, we plate our dish by sprinkling some grated parmesan cheese over the top and adding a few sprigs of fresh parsley and basil. We also add a nub of butter to the pasta, which melts into the sauce, adding richness and depth to the dish. The result is a hearty pasta dish that is sure to please even the most discerning palates.

In the kitchen, it's all about balance and harmony. Each component must be carefully considered and balanced in order to create a truly exceptional dish. In this case, we've managed to achieve just that – a perfectly cooked pasta dish that showcases the natural flavors of each ingredient. Whether you're a seasoned chef or an inexperienced cook, following these steps will help you create a delicious meal that's sure to impress.