I love BLTs. When the craving for bacon strikes at dinnertime, this is like a BLT in a bowl. The toasted breadcrumbs, sometimes referred to as “poor man’s Parmigiano,” add a nice crunch to pasta dishes with a light garlic-and-oil based sauce such as this one.

Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) are larger and lighter—both in color and in density—than the conventional Italian-American variety. When you put the pasta water on to boil, toast the panko on a baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350° F oven until they are golden brown. Remove the pan to a rack to cool. Then transfer the panko to a small bowl and pass at the table as you would grated Parmigiano.