Peppery Wisconsin Mascarpone Pasta Sauce with Bacon

I love, love, love this pasta. Love it! It's so easy, so yummy and, depending on the phase of the moon, the kids will even eat it (last time I made it they had seconds, last night Madeleine said she hated it).

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, diced
1 c. onion, diced
8 slices thick-sliced pepper bacon, cut in strips 1 in. long (if peppered bacon not available, add 1 tsp. course ground pepper)
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
8 oz. Wisconsin Mascarpone cheese
3 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, julienned

Heat oil in large saute pan. Add garlic, shallots and onions; saute over medium heat until tender, about 5 mins. Do not brown. Stir in bacon. Raise heat to medium high and cook until bacon cooks through but does not crisp (if I'm dealing with especially fatty bacon I usually cook it almost completely through in the microwave before this step so that I can drain some of the fat). Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 15 to 20 min., or until sauce thickens and reduces a little. Off heat, add Wisconsin Mascarpone cheese and basil. Stir well.

Toss with about 1/2 lb. cooked pasta (I prefer fettuccine, but any long, hollow pasta would be great).