After
being lured into the house by the aromas of fried bacon and sautéed onions,
Barry said, “Is this another one-pot wonder?” I replied, ‘Yes, but it took two
pots to make!”
This one-pot dish (that takes two pots to
make) incorporates the flavors of our favorite BLT sandwich . . . with a few
substations and additions. It’s quick to fix and delicious to eat.
I used what was left of our garden onions,
peppers and tomatoes. While I sautéed the onions and pepper, I added chopped
tomatoes (with their skins on) just right before serving the dish. For a winter
version, I’d mixed canned tomatoes into the recipe at the end of step #4.
BLT Pasta 3 to 4 servings
4 to 6 oz. linguine
2 to 3 slices of bacon, cut into chunks
½ of a large onions, diced
1 small green pepper, diced – optional
1 clove garlic, minced
About ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
3 to 4 fresh tomatoes, chopped (about 1 to 1½ cups) &
then sprinkled with Kosher salt
About 2 tablespoons chopped basil + sprigs for garnish
Kosher salt and coarse-grind pepper
1. Bring
a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook just until al
dente. Try to time the cooking so you are ready for the pasta by step #4. Do
not drain pasta (or if you prefer it ahead and drain, be sure to save about a
cup of pasta water).
2. In
a large skillet or low Dutch oven, fry bacon until crisp and nicely browned —
watch it closely and stir occasionally to avoid burning. Remove from skillet.
3. Add
diced onions and pepper to the bacon fat and saute until tender; add the garlic
need the end.
4. Stir
in the pesto and the transfer the cooked pasta to the pot — I use tongs to do
this. You’ll get some of the starchy cooking liquid by doing it this way but
that’s fine as it helps deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add a dipper or two of
additional pasta water as needed to help create a sauce. Taste, and season with
salt and pepper if needed.
5. Right
before serving, layer on the Parmesan, tomatoes, basil and cooked bacon pieces.
6. Stir
and serve. Garnish individual plates with additional Parmesan and a sprig of
basil if desired.
Recipe without photos
. . .
BLT Pasta 3 to 4 servings
4 to 6 oz. linguine
2 to 3 slices of bacon, cut into chunks
½ of a large onions, diced
1 small green pepper, diced – optional
1 clove garlic, minced
About ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
3 to 4 fresh tomatoes, chopped (about 1 to 1½ cups) &
then sprinkled with Kosher salt
About 2 tablespoons chopped basil + sprigs for garnish
Kosher salt and coarse-grind pepper
1. Bring
a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook just until al
dente. Try to time the cooking so you are ready for the pasta by step #4. Do
not drain pasta (or if you prefer it ahead and drain, be sure to save about a
cup of pasta water).
2. In
a large skillet or low Dutch oven, fry bacon until crisp and nicely browned —
watch it closely and stir occasionally to avoid burning. Remove from skillet.
3. Add
diced onions and pepper to the bacon fat and saute until tender; add the garlic
need the end.
4. Stir
in the pesto and the transfer the cooked pasta to the pot — I use tongs to do
this. You’ll get some of the starchy cooking liquid by doing it this way but
that’s fine as it helps deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add a dipper or two of
additional pasta water as needed to help create a sauce. Taste, and season with
salt and pepper if needed.
5. Right
before serving, layer on the Parmesan, tomatoes, basil and cooked bacon pieces.
6. Stir
and serve. Garnish individual plates with additional Parmesan and a sprig of
basil if desired.
