Weeknight BLT Pasta

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Happy Tuesday! How is everyone’s week going so far? My “actual” work week doesn’t start until tomorrow, but I have been very busy around the house. Monday’s and Tuesday’s are my “get your shit together” kind of days. I usually plan everything out for the week, coordinate Oliver’s schedule with my own, clean, shop, write blog posts, edit photos, and make dinner. That’s a lot for on top of watching a toddler, so when it comes to dinner, it must require little to no effort.

Enter in this BLT Pasta. 

BLT’s were something I grew up eating every summer. The crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and perfectly toasty bread? So simple and so good. But as good as they are, this summer I wanted to switch it up. I wanted to make something we could enjoy as a family, and honestly, not toast a million slices of bread.

Not only is this pasta easy, but it’s super simple, super fresh, and so delicious. Any dish I can cook, consume, AND clean up in all under an hour, count me in. How can you beat that?

Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. Happy Eating! 

Weeknight BLT Pasta

Not only is this pasta easy, but it's super simple, super fresh, and so delicious.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box or 16 oz Rigatoni pasta
  • 1 1/4 lb or 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 lb or 10-11 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 pieces
  • 4.5 oz baby arugula
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 1/2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
  • Optional: Pea shoots for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Boil pasta in salted water for 10-12 minutes or until al dente. Once cooked, drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
  • While pasta is cooking, add chopped bacon to a large frying pan. Cook until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Discard half of bacon fat leaving the other half in pan.
  • On medium heat cook tomatoes in bacon fat with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tsp chili flakes. Cook 3-4 minutes or until tomatoes have softened.
  • Add cooked pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Stir to coat.
  • Stir in baby arugula. When arugula starts to wilt, add grated cheese and 1/2 of the cooked bacon.
  • Tranfer pasta to serving dish and top with remaining bacon. Garnish with addional cheese and pea shoots if desired.

Recipe adapted from Platings and Pairings.

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