Start by cooking the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches a deep golden brown and crispy texture, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then crumble into bite-sized pieces. While the bacon cooks, bring a pot of water to a boil and gently add the eggs. Once boiling, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10-12 minutes to achieve perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process, then peel, chop into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until the vinaigrette is fully emulsified and the honey is completely dissolved. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—I like to add a touch more salt if the vinaigrette tastes too acidic from the vinegar. Set aside; you'll use half now and half later to build layers of flavor.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch. While still slightly warm, transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl and immediately toss with half of the vinaigrette from Step 2. This warm pasta absorbs the dressing beautifully, building the flavor foundation of the salad. Let the dressed pasta cool to room temperature.

While the pasta cools, hull and slice the fresh strawberries into 1/4-inch rounds—uniform slicing ensures even distribution throughout the salad. Chop the scallions into thin rounds, separating white and light green parts from darker greens if you prefer a milder onion flavor. Toast the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden; this brings out their nutty flavor and prevents them from becoming soggy in the dressing.

Add the cooled pasta to a large serving bowl or platter. Layer in the crumbled bacon from Step 1, chopped eggs from Step 1, sliced strawberries from Step 4, chopped scallions from Step 4, crumbled feta cheese, and toasted almonds from Step 4. Gently toss everything together until evenly distributed. I prefer to add the feta at this point rather than earlier so the delicate cheese doesn't break down too much from the vinaigrette.

Just before serving, add the fresh baby spinach to the bowl and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette from Step 2. Gently toss everything together until the spinach is lightly coated and begins to wilt slightly from the warm pasta and dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately while the salad still has a nice contrast between warm pasta and cool, fresh ingredients.