Creamy Blt Pasta Rachael Ray Food

BLT CREAMY MAC 'N' CHEESE (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.
• While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in half of the shredded cheese, then the reserved pasta cooking water.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Pile into a casserole and top with the tomatoes and remaining shredded cheese. Bake until browned on top, 7 to 8 minutes.
• In a large bowl, toss the arugula and basil with the lemon juice and a drizzle of EVOO. Serve on top of the pasta.

CREAMY BLT PASTA (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once at a full rolling boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.
• In medium sized saute pan, fry the bacon until almost crisp.
• Drain and set aside.
• In the remaining bacon drippings, add leeks and garlic and season with pepper. Stir a few minutes to soften then add tomato paste and stir a minute more; add wine and reduce by half. Add tomatoes and heat through.
• Stir in the cheese, reduce heat to low and cook until melted.
• Reserve about 1/2 cup starchy cooking liquid just before draining pasta, then drain, return to the pot and add sauce to the pasta.
• Add the bacon in and toss, using starchy water to combine. Adjust the seasoning of pasta to taste, serve in shallow bowls topped with Parmesan cheese if desired.

BLT FRITTATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a 12-inch nonstick ovensafe skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, pancetta, and garlic to the pan. When pancetta browns at edges and begins to crisp, add arugula. Wilt arugula, stir in tomatoes. Beat eggs together with half-and-half. Whisk in salt and pepper. Pour eggs over fillings and let eggs set. Using a spatula, raise eggs off the bottom of the skillet, allow more of the liquid egg to settle. When the frittata has set, transfer to oven and cook 10 to 12 minutes until top is deep golden brown. Remove the frittata and let it stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

BLT WITH WELSH RAREBIT MACARONI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange 2 cooling racks on baking sheets and arrange the bacon on 1 of them. Bacon may also be baked on a slotted broiler pan. Bake the bacon until crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Salt the water and add the pasta. Undercook the pasta by 1 to 2 minutes, until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
• While the water comes to a boil, arrange the sliced tomatoes on the second baking rack. Sprinkle with chives, salt and pepper, to taste, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Roast them for about 20 minutes. Switch the oven to broil when you remove tomatoes.
• Process the bread in a food processor they become coarse bread crumbs. Transfer the bread crumbs to a small bowl.
• Melt butter in sauce pot over medium heat. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 of the butter over the crumbs to moisten, then stir in the parsley. To the remaining butter in the sauce pot, add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, then add the hot sauce and mustard. Stir to combine, then sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute more. Whisk in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and ale. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the stock and bring to a bubble. When the sauce thickens, stir in 2 cups of the cheese in a figure 8 motion and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add the pasta with to the sauce and toss to coat. Spoon it into crocks or a casserole dish. Top with the bread crumbs and remaining cheese, then put it on the middle rack of the oven. Broil until bubbly and deeply brown on top, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Arrange a bed of cress leaves alongside portions of macaroni and cheese or individual crocks. Top the watercress with a thick slice of roasted tomato and crisscrossed bacon strips. Cover with a second slab of tomato and serve.

BLT PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water to cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
• In a large bowl, stir together the Ranch dressing, onion, and tomatoes. Mix in the cooled pasta. The pasta will absorb some of the dressing, so don't worry if it seems like too much. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Crumble bacon over the top just before serving.

CHEF JOHN'S BLT PASTA

Steps:

• 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.

RACHAEL RAY'S BLUSH PASTA RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil the pasta. When the water reaches a boil, salt it and add the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions and then drain. Return pasta to pot it was cooked in and reserve. While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium low heat, then add EVOO. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes to the pan, bring up to a bubble and let simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the heavy cream and stir together to make a blush sauce. Add the sauce to the pot of cooked pasta along with the torn basil and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Toss together and serve.