It totally made my day when a few of you DMed me for the recipe (!!!) for the pasta I whipped up on Saturday. Mostly because it wasn’t so much a recipe as a strategy to use up a few things from the fridge.

Since “leftovers” rarely leads to thunderous applause unless it’s, say, ice cream, I thought pasta might be the perfect foil to make something new from a little bit of this and that.

I started with my biggest skillet to give everything a chance to caramelize. I added some olive oil to the pan and crisped up six slices of pancetta I cut into strips that were left over from book club. Then I removed it from the pan and set it aside.

I swirled in a bit more olive oil and sauteéd six cloves of garlic for about 45 seconds. Then I added a bit of white wine to the pan to bring up any bits of pancetta that didn’t quite make it to the bowl and to ensure the garlic doesn’t stick. Next, I added a pint of grape tomatoes to the pan. I seasoned them with salt and pepper and let them cook over medium/low heat until they began to burst. They do spit and pop, and that’s completely normal. Once they break down on their own, I finish the job by using a potato masher until they’re to your desired chunkiness. You could puree them in a blender if you want a totally smooth sauce, but for this pasta I left them “rustic.”

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then once it’s really boiling (you want aggressive bubbles), put enough salt in for the water to taste like the sea. This helps ensure your pasta has lots of flavor. Cook your desired noodles to al dente per the directions and save a bit of pasta water, which is important to bringing it all together.

Once your pasta is cooked, add it to the pan with the tomatoes and begin to toss it together, using a splash or two of pasta water to keep it from drying out. Check for seasoning. I added a cup full of Parmesan, a cup of chopped parsley I needed to use up, and topped it with the crispy pancetta.

The pasta I used was a specialty from the Italian region of Abruzzo that I ordered from Giadzy.com (not sponsored, just something I happen to love). The shape is called Nodi Marini, and it’s got great little nooks for trapping all the good stuff from the sauce and toppers.

Since I made this up, I’m christening it Pasta Alla Christa, LOL.

Now it’s your turn: What’s your favorite dish to make with leftover bits from your fridge and pantry?