Chef John's Blt Pasta

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2/3 cup creme fraiche
• 2 cups ditalini pasta
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 4 cups baby arugula, coarsely chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly shredded parmesan cheese, or to taste (optional)

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Ready Time: 40 mins


• pour olive oil into a heavy skillet over medium heat, add bacon, and cook until almost crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. turn off heat. hold a paper towel with tongs and mop up excess bacon grease with the paper towel, leave about 2 teaspoons bacon grease in the skillet.
• stir minced garlic and lemon zest into bacon in the skillet and let cook in residual heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. stir creme fraiche into bacon mixture.
• bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and stir in 2 cups of ditalini. cook till tender, about 8 minutes. drain and add pasta to the skillet. stir pasta thoroughly into bacon and creme fraiche mixture.
• return skillet to medium heat. add tomatoes; cook and stir until slightly softened, about 1 minute. mix in arugula, stirring until wilted, about 30 seconds, and turn off heat.
• season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. stir again and garnish with parmesan cheese.