The sauce is rich with garlicky, smoky bacon-y goodness and the secret ‘flavour maker’ leaves no palate dissatisfied. Don’t rush the steps! This is worth the wait.
Heat the oil in a high-sided saute pan over medium low heat. Add the bacon and fry, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is very crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon (do not throw away the bacon fat!) and place in a small non-stick pan.
To the hot fat, add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes, until soft and translucent - it shouldn’t brown too much. Add the garlic and black pepper and fry for a minute (no longer), then combine the tomato puree, sugar, vinegar and wine and add to the pan to deglaze and reduce. Tip in the tomatoes and season again with salt. Cook for 20 minutes until reduced and rich-tasting but not dry.
Cook the pasta in salty boiling water until very al dente, then add directly to the sauce along with a splash of pasta water. Toss the pasta well, then gradually incorporate the cheese, tossing all the time. Add more pasta water to loosen if necessary. Reheat the bacon in the pan until once again crisp and hot. Divide the pasta between plates and finish with parsley, more parmesan, lots of crispy bacon and chilli flakes, if using. Enjoy!
