BLT pasta
"A well made BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich—for those not in the know) might be one of my absolute favorite sandwiches, so turning it into an easy weeknight pasta dish was a revelation when I discovered it in Colu Henry’s cookbook, Back Pocket Pasta. This version is switched up a bit from the recipe in Henry’s book (one I highly recommend, by the way), but is nonetheless a delicious, salty, tangy, satisfyingly summery pasta that comes together quickly."
Difficulty
Easy 👌Preparation
Baking
Resting
Ingredients
Utensils
cutting board, knife, large pot, colander, frying pan, rubber spatula
How-To Videos
How to Maintain the Sharpness of Your Knives
How to secure a cutting board
How to cook pasta
Nutrition per serving
Step 1/4
- 115 g smoked bacon
- 700 g mixed tomatoes
- 300 g rigatoni
- cutting board
- knife
- large pot
- colander
Dice bacon and halve cherry tomatoes. Set a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Once the pot of water is boiling, season generously with salt, then add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving some pasta water.
Step 2/4
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 70 g panko breadcrumbs
- frying pan
Heat a large frying pan with half the olive oil over medium-high heat. Toast the panko until crunchy and brown. Remove panko from heat and set aside.
Step 3/4
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Add remaining olive oil and bacon to the same frying pan and cook until bacon is crisped up, approx. 5 min. Lower the heat to medium and add cherry tomatoes, tossing gently. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for approx. 5 min. more.
Step 4/4
- 120 ml pasta water
- 100 g arugula
- Pecorino cheese (for serving)
- olive oil (for serving)
- rubber spatula
Add the pasta directly to the pan with the bacon and tomatoes, placing the pan over medium-high heat. Then add pasta water and toss together. Add arugula and keep tossing to form a glossy sauce. Serve immediately, topped with grated Pecorino romano cheese, toasted panko, and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
Enjoy your meal!