Pasta alla Bruno

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Put a pan of water on to boil for the pasta, and when it's bubbling, add a teaspoon of salt, or to taste, and put the casarecce on to cook.

Step 2

The make I use stipulates 11 minutes' cooking time, but I feel it needs rather less, so keep testing.

Step 3

Get on with the sauce when the pasta goes in, or even before, should you prefer, as it can stand, with the lid on, once it's cooked.

Step 4

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy-based frying pan that comes with a lid, then scissor in the bacon, and stir-fry until crisp.

Step 5

(If you want the bacon to stay crisp, remove now to a plate, uncovered, and toss back in just before eating.

Step 6

Remove the pan from the heat, just while you add the garlic, then stir, and place back on the heat.

Step 7

Tumble in the quartered cherry tomatoes and the dried chilli flakes, stir well and put on the lid.

Step 8

Shake the wok from time to time while cooking, and lift the lid once or twice to give a stir, and a check.

Step 9

Once the pasta is cooked, but still with a bit of bite to it, use a "spider" or wire basket ladle to scoop out the pasta into the wok, stirring in a little of the pasta cooking water just to help the sauce amalgamate.

Step 10

Put the lid on and leave to stand on the ring it cooked on, though with the heat turned off, for 5 minutes.

Step 11

Stir the bacon back in, check for seasoning, then tip into a bowl, and eat heartily.