Bacon-Studded Orecchiette Molisane

🥘 Ingredients

• bacon
  4 strips
• basil
  1 bunch
• black pepper
  ½ tsp
• broccoli
  1 head
• chili flakes
  ½ tsp
• garlic
  4 cloves
• italian seasoning
  1 tsp
• lemon
  1 unit
• olive oil
  2 tbsp
• onion
  1 unit
• orecchiette pasta
  8 oz
• parmesan cheese
  ½ cup
• salt
  1 tsp
• tomato
  1 unit

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• baking sheet
• large pan

1. 

   1

   bacon parmesan cheese onion broccoli basil lemon garlic italian seasoning orecchiette pasta tomato chili flakes salt black pepper olive oil

   bacon: 4 strips, parmesan cheese: ½ cup, onion: 1 unit, broccoli: 1 head, basil: 1 bunch, lemon: 1 unit, garlic: 4 cloves, italian seasoning: 1 tsp, orecchiette pasta: 8 oz, tomato: 1 unit, chili flakes: ½ tsp, salt: 1 tsp, black pepper: ½ tsp, olive oil: 2 tbsp
2. 

   2

   Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel, and dice onion. Peel and thinly slice garlic. Dice tomato. Zest and quarter lemon. Pick basil leaves from stems and roughly chop leaves. Cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces if necessary.
3. 

   3

   Toss broccoli on a baking sheet with olive oil. Season with half the italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Place lemon wedges cut sides down on same sheet. Roast on top rack until broccoli is golden brown and crispy and lemon is softened and lightly caramelized ⏱️ 15-20 minutes .
4. 

   4

   Once water is boiling, add orecchiette pasta to pot. Cook until al dente ⏱️ 15-17 minutes . Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
5. 

   5

   While pasta cooks, add bacon to a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until crispy and cooked through ⏱️ 6-10 minutes . Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Carefully pour off some bacon fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop bacon.
6. 

   6

   Add onion to pan with reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened ⏱️ 4-5 minutes . Add garlic and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until garlic is slightly golden ⏱️ 1-2 minutes . Add tomato, remaining italian seasoning, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook until fragrant ⏱️ 1-2 minutes .
7. 7

   Add orecchiette pasta, roasted broccoli, and half the chopped bacon to pan with aromatics. Stir in ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water, half the parmesan cheese, and half the chopped basil until combined. Add as much lemon zest and juice from roasted lemon wedges as you like. Season generously with salt and black pepper. If needed, stir in more pasta cooking water a splash at a time until orecchiette pasta is thoroughly coated in sauce. Divide pasta between bowls; top with remaining bacon, chopped basil, and parmesan cheese. Serve with any remaining roasted lemon wedges on the side. Garnish with more chili flakes if desired.