Serves 6
Love it, love it, love it. What more can I say? Delicious. That's all. Ok, smooth and creamy too. There - I'm done.
5 slices raw bacon, diced fairly small
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, (casings removed if in sausage form)
1 pound penne pasta
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Add bacon to a non-stick pan, and cook until just getting crispy - remove to a paper towel to drain
Remove bacon grease, leaving about a tablesppon, then add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan and when melted and add bread crumbs - stirring often over medium high heat until golden brown then add back in the bacon, stir well to combine and remove to a small bowl - set aside
Heat oil in medium hot pan, add sausage & break apart to crumble
Cook until no longer pink and stir in garlic - cook another minute
Add cream - simmer on low about 10 minutes
While it cooks, add pasta to boiling water - when the pasta's ready, so is the sausage
Drain pasta and add to sausage
Add remaining butter, Parmesan cheese & parsley - mix well
Serve topped with the bacon/bread crumbs