BLT Pasta

So, we've finally got some tomatoes.  Someday maybe I'll get to can some but for now we are just eating them.  One of my very, very favorite things to eat is a BLT on fresh homemade bread.  But I will ONLY eat them with a tomato fresh from the garden.  Actually, I won't even buy tomatoes out of season....they may be shaped like a tomato and be red like a tomato but they taste NOTHING like a tomato.  Anyway, I digress.  The point is I am trying to eat all the tomatoes I can while they are fresh and good and worth eating.  And my favorite way is in a sandwich form with bacon and a little lettuce and mayo.  YUM!  So I love BLT's...that's been established.  I also love pasta, in pretty much any form.  So I decided to combine the two and the result was supper tonight.  And it was YUMMY!  Unfortunately, I am terrible at measuring so if you are a cook who requires an exact measurement I am sorry and just do the best you can...it is worth it.  I will give approximate measurements.

Ingredients:
bacon (I used about 1/2 a pkg from the store) chopped into small bits
cherry tomatoes (a cup or 2- the more the merrier really)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic (I really like garlic), chopped, or pressed
1 teas italian seasoning
2/3 cup parmesan cheese this is a really rough estimate)
1 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta, cooked to al dente
reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water

Brown the bacon in a hot skillet with tight fitting lid.  When crisp, remove bacon to a plate with a paper towel on it for draining.  Brown onion in bacon grease,  When slightly browned add garlic and brown.  Then add italian seasoning.  stir it all up a bit and add tomatoes and turn heat to medium low.  Cover immediately and allow to cook till tomatoes burst and release their juices.  It is a good idea to shake your skillet every now and again to keep things moving around in there.  When tomatoes have burst, add your bacon back in and stir to mix.  Add pasta and sprinkle parmesan cheese over all.  Stir and stir and stir and stir...I like to use tongs for this.  As you are stirring slowly add bits of the pasta cooking water.  It loosens things up and helps them combine...the starch also helps everything stick together.   Serve hot with more parmesan cheese.

** I do realize that my pasta has no "L" in it.  to solve this problem you could serve it with a salad.  I just reconciled myself to no "L" and 2 servings of B, T, and pasta.    I'll have some "L" tomorrow...maybe on a sandwich with extra bacon and tomato.  :)