This delicious pasta recipe from NYT Cooking is ready in about 30 minutes. Cook the pasta and drain, reserving some of the pasta water. Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp and set aside. Cook the tomatoes until they begin to break down. Return half the bacon to the pan and add the cooked pasta, arugula and cheese to the tomatoes, adding pasta water if needed. Serve garnished with the rest of the bacon and more cheese

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Free From bacon, which is additive-free. Genuine Pecorino Romano does not contain preservatives or colour.

BLT pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 g) pasta, such as penne or rigatoni

8 ounces (227 g) bacon, diced into ½ -inch (1.25-cm) pieces

1 pound (454 g) cherry tomatoes, halved

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

5 ounces (142 g) baby arugula

½ cup (125 ml) grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving

Flaky salt, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just under al dente, 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until crisp, stirring occasionally to make sure it does not burn, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Turn heat to medium and add the tomatoes to the skillet, tossing them to coat in the bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. As the moisture from the tomatoes releases, scrape any browned bits that have accumulated at the bottom of the pan (add a bit of pasta water if you need to) and continue to cook until the tomatoes begin to fall apart, about 5 to 7 minutes more. Add half of the cooked bacon back to the skillet and toss to combine.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the pasta directly to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Add the arugula and ¼ cup (60 ml) of the pasta water and carefully toss (you’ll have a very full pan) until the arugula wilts. Add the cheese and another ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta water and toss together until the cheese emulsifies and the pasta is glossy with sauce. If needed, add another ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta water to loosen the sauce.

Serve in bowls and top with remaining bacon. Pass the grated Pecorino Romano at the table and season with flaky salt, if desired. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking