BLT Pasta

Chef John’s BLT Pasta

Serves 4

 
1 tbsp olive oil
½ lb bacon cut crosswise into 1” pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp lemon zest
2/3 cup crème fraiche (sub with sour cream)
2 cups ditalini pasta
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
4 cups baby arugula, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne
1 tbsp fresh parmesan (optional)
 
Pour olive oil into a heavy skillet over medium heat, add bacon and cook until almost crisp, 5-8 min. Turn off heat. Remove all but 2 tsp bacon grease from skillet.
Stir minced garlic and lemon zest into the bacon on the skillet and cook in residual heat until fragrant, 2-3 min. Stir crème fraiche into the bacon mixture.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and stir in 2 cups of ditalini. Cook till tender, about 8 min. Drain and add pasta to the skillet. Stir pasta thoroughly with the bacon mixture.
Return skillet to medium heat. Add tomatoes, cook and stir until slightly softened, ~1 min. Mix in arugula, stirring until wilted ~30 seconds. Turn off heat
Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir to mix. Garnish with parmesan.

Allrecipes.com by Chef John