BLT Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound orecchiette

2 cloves garlic, minced

8oz bacon, diced into small pieces

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

5oz spinach

Pecorino Romano (for serving, optional)

directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just under al dente (~1 minute less than the package directions). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for later. Drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Place the bacon in a large cold skillet. Raise the heat to medium-low and heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy, stirring occasionally, for about 7-10 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon and let drain on a paper towel. Turn the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, tossing them in the bacon fat. Add in the garlic and season with salt and pepper. As the juices from the tomatoes release, scrape any browned bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the tomatoes begin to fall apart, about 5-7 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the pasta directly to the skillet tossing to cat with the sauce. Add the cooked bacon and arugula with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Carefully toss everything together and cook until the spinach wilts. Top with cheese and serve.