When You Only Get Skin-Deep

Deli-Special Summer Pasta
("Deli Special" meaning when pancetta or prosciutto are on special at the deli. "Summer" meaning that's when you have an abundance of tomatoes and basil. There's really nothing fancy about this dish except that it contains a foreign meat... ooh la la. I threw this together when Kevin "felt like something light" and I felt like something cheap and easy. Meat on special. Ta da.)

-Bring salted pasta water to a boil. Cook 8 ounces thin spaghetti.
-Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a stick-resistant, tall skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 oz prosciutto or pancetta, thin sliced and rough-chopped and cook, stirring, until crispy. Remove meat from oil and set aside in a pasta bowl.
-In leftover oil, reduce heat to medium and saute 6-8 cloves garlic, halved and sliced, until golden.
-Add 3 large tomatoes, diced (NOT seeded), salt, and cook for less than a minute. Remove pan from heat until pasta is done.
-When pasta is done, return tomatoes to medium-high heat and add pasta along with about 1/2 cup pasta water. Stir, tasting for salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper.
-Add pasta to meat and top with a good hand-full basil, chifonnade, then toss, tasting again for salt. Serve immediately, topping each serving with optional parmesan, ricotta salata, or goat cheese.

And to archive my Facebook status from yesterday:
Boy: "We just live in this house." Me: "Yup. For a long time." Boy: "And then we take it back to the super huge store."

Of course! Why didn't I think of that?