Blt Pasta

Typically you’d see BLT pasta in a cold pasta salad context, but today I’m going to show you just how delicious a hot BLT pasta is! Follow me…

Buttery Breadcrumbs

A BLT combo is of course most classically seen in a sandwich. As such, I wanted to incorporate every part of it in this pasta, including the bread. I figured if there’s going to be breadcrumbs scattered over my pasta, they better be a) crispy and b) tasty. As such, we’re going to be toasting the breadcrumbs in butter before we use them. This gives them a rich flavour which adds more purpose to the breadcrumbs than simply just adding texture. To make the breadcrumbs I use Sourdough. It’s got a firm structure which allows the bread to crisp up really nicely. Process shots: add butter to pan (photo 1), melt (photo 2), add Sourdough crumbs (photo 3), toast (photo 4).

BLT Pasta

Once you’ve made the buttery breadcrumbs, you can go in with the bacon.

Low ‘n’ Slow

You’ll want to fry the bacon over low-medium heat in order to draw out the fat. This is a crucial step, as it creates the flavour base of the sauce. The excess bacon fat will also emulsify with the excess pasta water to create a light glossy sauce. If you fry the bacon over a heat that’s too high, you won’t be able to render down the fat.

Starchy Pasta Water

Don’t drain away the pasta water once the pasta is cooked! Adding in some of the pasta water will help prevent the dish from drying out. It’ll also help create a very light creamy sauce. Process shots: fry bacon then remove (photo 1), fry garlic and tomatoes (photo 2), add spinach (photo 3), add pasta and starchy water (photo 4), add Crème Fraîche, parmesan and bacon (photo 5), toss (photo 6).

What cut of bacon should I use?

You’ll want to use streaky bacon because it’s the fattiest cut; the excess fat is what adds flavours and helps create the sauce. I use unsmoked, but you could use smoked if you’d prefer.

What kind of tomatoes should I use?

Cherry tomatoes work great because they’re pretty sturdy, so don’t turn to mush when you toss the pasta. You could sub baby plum tomatoes.

Do I have to add creme fraiche?

I highly recommend doing so. It 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.

Serving BLT Pasta

Once the pasta is ready to go, you can serve up with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs over each portion, then tuck in and enjoy! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this BLT pasta shall we?!