BLT Pasta
This BLT Pasta combines crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes and spinach in a light, creamy sauce, all finished with buttery sourdough crumbs. Perfectly delicious and so simple!
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Food Processor (for breadcrumbs - optional)
- Very Large Deep Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Large Pot & Tongs (for cooking pasta)
Ingredients
- 1.5oz / 45g Day-Old Sourdough or Crusty Bread, blitzed into a coarse crumb (see notes)
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 7oz / 200g Streaky Bacon, diced (see notes)
- 12oz / 350g Spaghetti
- 12oz / 350g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- 2 large cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 5oz / 150g Baby Spinach
- 1/2 cup / 120g Crème Fraîche
- 1/2 cup / 40g freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a very large deep pan over medium heat, then add the breadcrumbs. Toast until golden and crisp, then remove and cool to one side. Wipe out the pan if needed.
- Add the bacon to the pan and 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 leftover bacon fat. Fry until the tomatoes begin to soften/wilt and release their juices. Turn the 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 begins to wilt 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 dries out at any point, just toss in some more pasta water, a splash at a time, to thin out the sauce as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 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. I like sourdough, but any kind of crusty bread will do.
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.
d) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 4 WITH buttered breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
Calories: 736kcal | Carbohydrates: 79.11g | Protein: 24.35g | Fat: 36.02g | Saturated Fat: 8.988g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.335g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.947g | Trans Fat: 0.321g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 582mg | Potassium: 946mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6.62g | Vitamin A: 4693IU | Vitamin C: 23.3mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 4.92mg