• Cook bacon on a griddle or in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve about 4 tablespoons of the bacon drippings for crispy pasta and dressing. Once bacon is cool, crumble it.
• In a large bowl, combine the crispy pasta, tomatoes, red onion, about ¾ of the bacon, and parsley if using. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat.
  
• Right before serving, fold in the chopped romaine.
• Top with the remaining bacon and additional parsley, if desired. Serve right away for the best crispy texture of pasta and bacon.
  

Crispy Pasta

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook farfalle according to package directions until just al dente. Drain well and let pasta sit in the colander for a few minutes so excess moisture can evaporate. Spread pasta on a clean kitchen towel and gently pat it dry. It doesn't need to be bone dry, but try to get rid of surface moisture.
• While pasta is boiling, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add drained pasta to the baking sheet and toss with bacon drippings, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Spread into an even layer on baking sheet.
  
• Bake for 18-25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the edges of pasta are golden and crisp. The pasta should be crispy around the edges but not rock-hard all the way through. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes; it will crisp a little more as it cools.
  

Bacon Tomato Dressing

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the slightly cooled bacon drippings and tomato paste until smooth.
• Whisk in mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, dijon, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt. Add another splash of buttermilk if you want dressing thinner.