Garlic-Tomato Pasta (with 12 whole cloves of garlic)

I found the recipe for this garlicky piece of heaven over at Stirring the Pot, where Kim originally got it from a Mark Bittman cookbook.  Don't be intimidated by the 12 cloves of garlic...when I say "garlicky" I mean it in a nice pleasant flavorful way, not in an overwhelming way at all.  The dish was easy to make and we all unanimously agreed on a five star rating for this one.   Thank you to Kim for sharing a wonderful recipe!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients: 

2 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. butter
12 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 cup thick sliced bacon, cubed
1 can (15-ounces) crushed tomatoes, drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound ziti or penne pasta
1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, or a combo

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Combine the oil/butter, garlic, and bacon in a medium to large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the garlic becomes deep golden, nearly brown, all over, 10-15 minutes. (NOTE:  keep the heat on medium-low or the garlic will burn).

Add the drained crushed tomatoes, along with salt and pepper, to the skillet. Stir and simmer while you salt the boiling water and cook the pasta.

Drain the pasta when it is tender but firm, reserving a little of the cooking water and adding it to the sauce if it appears dry. Toss the pasta with the sauce and most of the basil, along with the cheese.

Mince the remaining basil, garnish the pasta with it, and serve.

Enjoy!