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Weeknight BLT Pasta

Not only is this pasta easy, but it's super simple, super fresh, and so delicious.
Print Recipe
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.