Step 1

Put all ingredients (except for the grated cheese, bacon, and some extra basil for garnish) in a large pan and add the water.

Step 2

Bring to a boil, and while frequently tossing the ingredients, cook in bubbling water for 10 minutes or so. You want the pasta to be al dente and the liquid to be mostly absorbed and evaporated. The starch from the pasta will create a nice, creamy sauce.

Step 3

Add water if it evaporates too quickly.

Step 4

Serve on a plate, add the grated cheese and bacon bits, and top it with a couple basil leaves.

Step 5

This is a good time to bring out your top-shelf extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle some over the whole dish.

Step 6

Tip: If you want to sauté the garlic, shallots, anchovy, and tomato paste first in the olive oil for a couple of minutes, that will give your dish even more depth. But I wanted to keep the instructions as simple as possible and as a one-pan, one-cooking-step kind of recipe.