• 1/2 lb. bacon (I used Benton’s and it was AMAZING)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 oz (half of a box) of cream cheese
• 1 lb. rigatoni

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack on the sheet. Arrange the bacon slices evenly around the rack. Bake the bacon at 350 degrees until evenly browned (I flip halfway and it takes about 20 mins total). Let cool.

Start the water for the pasta (large pot, well-salted water). Saute the onion in one tablespoon-ish of olive oil in a large skillet over medium head until soft (5 mins). Stir in the tomatoes and the red pepper flakes. Crumble the bacon (in big pieces) into the tomato sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the rigatoni to the pasta water once it’s at a rolling boil. Stir occasionally and check after about 14 minutes (rigatoni takes forever). When the pasta has about a minute left, add the cream cheese (cut into cubes for easy incorporation) to the tomato sauce and stir until melted and creamy. Drain the pasta once it is just past al dente (chewy rigatoni is gross) and then stir the sauce into the hot pasta immediately. Toss until well combined and serve hot!