I originally found this sauce recipe on Pinterest (I'm a huge pinner) and I am always nervous to try them. When it comes to food on Pinterest everything always looks appetizing but I feel like itsbecause of the photography not necessarily because of the taste. I see a photo and my imagination and pallet start to imagine what it would taste like. I obviously subconsciously imagine what I want it to taste like more then it probably does in reality. This recipe was one of those pleasantly surprising ones that matched my taste buds imagination. Although I altered some ingredients and ingredient portions it essentially takes the same foundation and I recommend you go further and try to make it your own (by like adding chilly flakes for example).
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1.5 Packs of Quinoa Spaghetti Pasta
1 Pack of Bacon cut into 1 inch width
1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
1 TBSP Maple Syrup
10 oz Baby Spinach - washed (this will later shrink down so don't worry if you think it is a lot)
10-14 OZ Goat Cheese (4 OZ will be used for garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
Boil water for the pasta in a large pot. Add salt when it comes to a boil and let it dissolve for a minute before adding in the pasta.
While you wait for the water to boil, in a large skillet start cooking the bacon. Cook the bacon on a high heat until the edges of the bacon get crisp and brown then reduce the heat and continue to cook until all the bacon has become crispy and the fat has been rendered. You can remove the bacon from the skillet and set it aside in a bowl. You will need the bacon in a second. Do not though away the grease.
**You may think there is a lot of bacon grease left in the pan but this will be the base of your sauce so you can remove some but leave at least 3/4 of it in the skillet.
Next turn the heat up on the stove and add it your red wine vinegar. This may not smell nice at first but it will help to pull all the crispy bacon bits that are stuck on the bottom of the skillet back into the sauce and adds more flavor later. Make sure when you pour the vinegar in you mix it around in the grease and scrape the bottom of the skillet to help loosen the bits of bacon stuck there.
At this point your water should be boiling so put the quinoa pasta in. You will need to stir the quinoa pasta often for the first three minutes so that it doesn't lump together. After the first three minutes you can let it cook for an additional 9-10 minutes stirring occasionally. After that it should be al-dente!
After about two minutes of scrapping the skillet add the bacon back in and the maple syrup and mix together.
Next slowly start to introduce handfuls of spinach into the pan. Stirring the whole time until all the spinach has been introduced.
Strain the quinoa pasta and add it into the skillet when ready. If the pasta is not ready just put the skillet to the side until it is. When pasta is ready add it in stir it up in the skilled so it is covered in bacon grease, bacon and spinach (no heat required anymore) Next add 9-10 dollops of goat cheese on top and stir in (the heat from the pasta will melt it into the pasta).
Twirl and place on a plate with a dollop of goat cheese on top as garnish and it is ready to be served.
