BLT Pasta

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

This hot BLT Pasta is really simple to make and so delicious to devour!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Western

Servings:

Calories: 736kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £2.50 / $3

Equipment

Very Large Deep Pan & Wooden Spoon
Large Pot & Tongs
Slotted Spoon
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Food Processor (for breadcrumbs - optional)

Ingredients

45g / 1.5oz Day-Old Sourdough, blitzed into crumbs (see notes)
2 tbsp Butter
350g / 12oz Spaghetti
200g / 7oz Streaky Bacon, diced (see notes)
350g / 12oz Cherry Tomatoes, halved
2 large cloves of Garlic, finely diced
150g / 5oz Baby Spinach, roughly diced
120g / 1/2 cup Crème Fraîche
40g / 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

Melt the butter in a very large deep pan over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs. Toast until golden, then remove and cool to one side.
Lower the heat slightly to low-medium and add the bacon. Fry until crisp with the fat rendered down. Remove the bacon and place to one side, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Don't drain.
Add the tomatoes and garlic to the pan. Fry until the tomatoes begin to soften/wilt and release their juices. Turn heat to low and add the spinach, then use tongs to transfer the cooked pasta straight from the pot into the pan.
Add in a splash of the leftover pasta water, then toss until the spinach wilts and distributes through the pasta. The excess starchy water will start to form a very light glossy sauce with the bacon fat and tomato juices. Toss in the Crème Fraîche until it blends through the pasta, then toss in the parmesan and bacon. If the sauce drys out at any point just toss in some more pasta water a splash at a time to thin out the sauce as needed.
Serve individual portions with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs!

Video

Notes

a) Breadcrumbs - These are optional but recommended. Toasting them in butter is crucial - nobody wants bland crumbs on top of their pasta! Season with salt if you think they need it.

b) Bacon - Important to use streaky bacon (not back bacon). You need the excess fat to add flavour to the dish. Plus, the fat emulsifies with the excess pasta water to form a light glossy sauce.

c) Crème Fraîche - This adds a touch of creaminess which not only prevents the pasta drying out, but it also gives a nod to the addition of mayonnaise in a classic BLT sandwich. You can sub sour cream with a touch of cream.

d) Spinach - Not technically a lettuce, but it's sturdy and holds well in the pasta without going soggy/mushy. As such, and rather ironically, I don't recommend using actual lettuce!

e) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 4 WITH buttered breadcrumbs.

Nutrition