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1
Drop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic into the food processor, and mince finely to an even-textured pestata.
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2
Slice the bacon strips crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
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3
Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, and set it over medium-high heat.
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4
Scatter in the bacon pieces, and cook them, stirring occasionally, until theyve rendered much of their fat, about 4 minutes.
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5
Push aside the bacon, and spread the pestata in a clear space in the skillet; let it cook in the hot spot, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or so.
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6
As the vegetables wilt and dry, sprinkle the peperoncino in the hot spot and let it toast.
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7
When the pestata just begins to stick to the pan bottom, pour in the tomatoes and 2 cups of slosh water (used to rinse the tomato cans and bowl).
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8
Stir in the marjoram, basil sprigs, and salt, and bring the tomatoes to a boil over high heat; adjust the flame to maintain a steady bubbling simmer.
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9
Cook the sauce, uncovered, for about 1/2 hour, until it has good flavor and is reduced to a consistency you like for dressing pasta.
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10
You can use some of the sauce right awayyoull need half of it to dress strangozzior let it cool, then refrigerate or freeze for later use.
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11
For cooking and dressing strangozzi: Bring a large pot of well-salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt) to a rolling boil.
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12
Heat half the tomato-bacon sauce, about 3 1/2 cups, to a bare simmer in a wide skillet or saute pan (if youve just made the sauce, use the same pan).
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13
If the sauce has cooled and thickened, loosen it with some of the pasta water.
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14
Shake any excess flour from the nests of strangozzi, and drop all the pasta into the pot, stirring and separating the strands.
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15
Rapidly return the water to a rolling boil, and cook the strangozzi for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barely al dente.
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16
Lift out the pasta quickly, let it drain for a moment, and drop it into the simmering sauce.
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17
Over low heat, toss strangozzi and sauce together for a minute or two, until all the strands are coated and perfectly al dente.
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18
(Thin the sauce, if necessary, with hot pasta water, or thicken it quickly over higher heat.)
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19
Turn off the heat, sprinkle a cup or so of grated cheese over the strangozzi, and toss well.
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20
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, toss again, and heap the pasta in warm bowls.
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21
Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.
