Blt Pasta Recipes

BLT PASTA

Steps:

• In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat chicken broth, pasta and black pepper to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered 11 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of liquid is absorbed.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in butter until melted. Gradually add spinach, stirring constantly, until starting to wilt. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes and bacon. Top with remaining ingredients.

BLT PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just under al dente, 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until crisp, stirring occasionally to make sure it does not burn, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Turn heat to medium and add the tomatoes to the skillet, tossing them to coat in the bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. As the moisture from the tomatoes releases, scrape any browned bits that have accumulated at the bottom of the pan (add a few tablespoons of the pasta water if you need to) and continue to cook until the tomatoes begin to fall apart, about 5 to 7 minutes more. Add half the cooked bacon back to the skillet and toss to combine.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and add the pasta directly to the skillet tossing to coat with the sauce. Add the arugula and 1/4 cup of the pasta water and carefully toss (you'll have a very full pan) until the arugula wilts. Add the cheese and an additional 1/4 cup pasta water and toss together until the cheese emulsifies and the pasta is glossy with sauce. If needed, add another 1/4 cup pasta water to loosen the sauce.
• Serve in bowls and top with remaining bacon. Pass the grated Pecorino Romano at the table and season with flaky salt, if desired.

BLT PASTA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally until crisp and fat has rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour bacon fat into a small bowl and set aside, but do not wash the skillet.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Mix Parmesan cheese, eggs, egg yolk, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl.
• Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain into a colander set over a large, heatproof bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and pour the rest out, keeping the now-heated bowl in place.
• Return 1 teaspoon reserved bacon fat to the large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Cook 30 seconds more and add tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through but not falling apart, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach.
• Add cooked bacon, cooked tomato mixture, and cooked pasta to the heated bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water into the egg mixture. Pour this over the pasta mixture in the bowl and toss for 3 minutes. Thin sauce if necessary by adding additional reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese.

BLT SKILLET

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings., In the drippings, saute tomato and garlic for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in the bacon, lemon juice, salt and pepper. , Drain linguine; add to the skillet. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley; toss to coat.

BLT PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water to cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
• In a large bowl, stir together the Ranch dressing, onion, and tomatoes. Mix in the cooled pasta. The pasta will absorb some of the dressing, so don't worry if it seems like too much. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Crumble bacon over the top just before serving.

CHEF JOHN'S BLT PASTA

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into a heavy skillet over medium heat, add bacon, and cook until almost crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat. Hold a paper towel with tongs and mop up excess bacon grease with the paper towel, leave about 2 teaspoons bacon grease in the skillet.
• Stir minced garlic and lemon zest into bacon in the skillet and let cook in residual heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir creme fraiche into bacon mixture.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and stir in 2 cups of ditalini. Cook till tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and add pasta to the skillet. Stir pasta thoroughly into bacon and creme fraiche mixture.
• Return skillet to medium heat. Add tomatoes; cook and stir until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Mix in arugula, stirring until wilted, about 30 seconds, and turn off heat.
• Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir again and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

BLT PASTA SKILLET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• Meanwhile, lay the bacon in a large ovenproof skillet and cook over medium heat until brown and slightly crispy, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Break up the bacon into bite-size pieces.
• Return the skillet to medium heat, add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and juices, reserved pasta water, crushed red pepper, basil, escarole and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens and the escarole wilts, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Mix together the ricotta and Parmesan. Add the cooked pasta and mozzarella to the sauce and stir to thoroughly coat. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta-Parmesan mixture on top. Sprinkle with the bacon pieces and bake until bubbly and the cheese melts, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with additional basil if using.