Week 26: Pasta Italiano

The Recipe
500g whole wheat pasta
225g bacon
500g pork, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, pressed
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1dl chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon chili
1 1/4 dl grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a wok over high heat until crisp; drain and crumble. Remove from wok. Add garlic and pork to pan drippings and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes or until pork is no longer pink. Remove pork from the pan and set aside. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, chicken broth and spices to the pan; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return pork to the pan and heat through. Mix with pasta, Parmesan cheese and bacon.

The Verdict
The original recipe actually called for twice as much garlic as I listed here, but I thought 4 cloves was PLENTY, and it would definitely have been too overwhelming if I'd used more, but if you love garlic, go for it :D. I rather liked this dish and would make it again with two alterations:
1) The meat got really, really dry. I'd probably either marinate it first, or use chicken instead.
2) There weren't nearly enough vegetables for my taste. Next time I'll either double the amount of tomatoes and/or bell pepper or add squash/eggplant/mushrooms to the mix.

This recipe generously serves 3 people.