The Iron Chef challenge put forth by Katie this week is: Day of the Dead.  In other words, “make or veganize a favorite dish of someone you’ve lost.”  It was timely when she posted it; I am just very very late in making my dish.

In high school (my pre-veg days) I dated a boy named Alex.  He was my first boyfriend and I was very close with his family.  His mom often made us a dish that came to be called Dynah Noodles because I loved it so much- basically fettucine carbonara with spinach.  Yes, I am fully aware of the irony/just plain weirdness of something so unvegan being named after me.  But I had wonderful memories associated with my beloved noodles.

A few years later, I was in college and Alex and I were long broken up and a year out of touch.  I got a call one night from a mutual friend who told me that Alex had killed himself.  I was devastated, mostly for his family who I loved so much and remained in touch with after our breakup.  They are some of the nicest people I’ve had the fortune to have in my life.  Since that time, my Noodles have taken on even more of a significance for me.  Clearly I haven’t had them in years, so I was excited to veganize them.

They tasted so much like I remember, and brought back so many memories that I nearly cried upon taking a bite.  Even if you’re not emotionally invested in this stuff, it is really tasty, and a simple way to dress up pasta.

Dynah Noodles

1 lb fetuccine
1 bunch spinach (more wouldn’t hurt)
1 package tempeh bacon, or 9 strips homemade
1 recipe Urban Vegan’s alfredo sauce
a little black pepper

Fry the bacon until crispy (as crispy as tempeh bacon can get), then chop into bits (I got a little over a cup from one package of Lightlife Fakin Bacon).  Trim ends off spinach, rinse, and steam lightly.  Get your pasta water boiling, and make the alfredo sauce.  It’s really simple.  Just don’t forget to add the salt (it’s listed in the ingredients but not the directions; just whisk it in at the end).  Once the pasta is done and drained, put it back in the pot, add the alfredo sauce, and stir to coat the noodles.  Then add the spinach, bacon, and a few shakes/twists of pepper, and stir again until all mixed up.