BLT Pasta Recipe

Here is how to transform the traditional BLT into a pasta dish that was just as tasty as the sandwich. Starting with the bac­on that should be cooked it is crispy and then stir it in right before serving so that it will not lose its crunch. Then use the rendered fat from the bacon to saute the tomatoes and add even more smoky flavor to the dish. Halving the cherry tomatoes cut back on cooking time, and heating them only briefly softened them and brought out their sweetness. In place of the traditional iceberg lettuce, use baby arugula, which provides a welcome spicy bite and wilted quickly when added to the hot pasta just before serving.

Chop bacon and cook in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel lined ­plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat left in skillet. Halve tomatoes and mined garlic. Add tomatoes and garlic to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until tomatoes are slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add arugula, Parmesan, bacon tomato-garlic mixture, and 1 cup reserved cooking water and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed and season ­with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.

Cooking the halved cherry toma­toes briefly in the rendered bacon fat along with some garlic flavors will soften them. Don’t overcook the tomatoes; they should be just slightly softened, not mushy.

SERVES 4 TO 6
2 slices bacon
12 ounces cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 pound orecchiette
5 ounces (5 cups) baby arugula
1 cup (2 ounces) grated
Parmesan cheese,
plus extra for serving or you can use Pecorino cheese