See Jane Cook: BLT Pasta

By Christy Turnipseed

BLT Pasta — this dish is a simple one, however, with a little bit of love it becomes something amazing. It takes some time to roast the tomatoes, but on a cold night, this dish is very comforting, especially if you love bacon.

I love bacon. I mean, I really really love bacon. I really could write an entire love letter to bacon, pork, and BBQ but that’s another day.

What’s great about this dish is that you probably already have all the ingredients on hand. Cook this up with some garlic bread, grab your Snuggie and curl up on the couch with your DVR or favorite book.

BLT Pasta

Ingredients

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz. thick applewood smoked bacon, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/2 lbs. cherry tomatoes, slow roasted (see note) with juices

1 lb. dried spaghetti or linguine (any pasta you like, really)

8 oz. fresh spinach, mixed greens or arugula (whatever is in season)

1/2 cup freshly shredded pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt generously.

2. While the water is heating, warm the olive oil in a large pan placed over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute stirring frequently for 10-12 minutes or until the bacon begins to render its fat and turn somewhat crispy. When the bacon is done, carefully drain the fat leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Return to heat and stir in the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes or until the tomatoes are heated through. Turn off the heat and cover the sauce to keep it warm.

3. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir to separate the noodles, and cook according to package or al dente. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, but reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

4. Transfer the pasta to the pan and toss the pasta and sauce to combine thoroughly, adding a splash or two of the cooking water to loosen the sauce (I had to eventually use the whole cup). Add the greens by the handful and continue to toss for a minute or so until the greens are wilted. Transfer the dressed pasta to shallow bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

5. NOTE: To make slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, heat oven to 275 degrees. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and arrange them in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil over the tomatoes, then scatter two cloves of garlic, thinly sliced, over the tomatoes. Season with fine sea salt and pepper and roast 2-3 hours, or until the tomatoes have shriveled a little but are still moist. Let cool and use immediately or can be stored in a tightly lidded container in the fridge up to one week. Bring to room temperature before using.

Christy Turnipseed is Birmingham born and raised. She’s a vintage jewelry designer for Lil’ Seeds. She’s a foodie, art and music lover and blogs at al.com and lifeofaturnip.com. She’s on twitter@cturnip.