Not your father's BLT! This next generation sandwich is hearty, healthy, and bursting with flavor.
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Serves: 2
Ingredients
- The Bread: Thick-cut sourdough or a crusty ciabatta (it needs to be sturdy enough to handle the juice).
- The Tomatoes: Your biggest, heaviest homegrown tomatoes (Heirloom, Beefsteak, or Cherokee Purple), sliced at least 1/2-inch thick.
- The "Glue" (Pesto Aioli): 3 tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 1 tbsp fresh basil pesto and a squeeze of lemon.
- The Crunch: 4–6 strips of thick-cut, crispy bacon.
- The Green: Fresh arugula or butter lettuce.
- The Secret Weapon: Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
The Assembly (The "Dry-Wall" Method)
- The Crunch: Cook your bacon until crispy.
- The Toast: Heavily toast your bread. You want a "crouton-like" exterior to act as a moisture barrier.
- The Seasoning (Crucial): Lay your tomato slices on a plate. Season them with salt and pepper before they go on the sandwich. Let them sit for 2 minutes; this wakes up the flavor.
- The Barrier: Spread a thick layer of the Pesto Aioli on both slices of bread. The fat in the mayo creates a seal against the tomato juice.
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The Build:
- Bottom Bread
- Arugula or Butter Lettuce
- The Tomato Stack: Place 2 or 3 thick slices of tomato.
- The Bacon
- Top Bread
- The Rest: Let the sandwich sit for exactly one minute before cutting. This allows the juices to marry with the aioli.
