Thursday, April 15, 2010

easy peasy - bacon and pea pasta


I make this dish at least once a week. If we've been out and about and get home around dinner time (and the kids are going feral!) I know that I can make this in 15 minutes flat and everything will be ok again. If we have unexpected guests drop in I'll just add some chopped mushrooms or I'll add some sliced squash and zucchini that I've pre-cooked in the microwave. It's as easy as having a packet of peas in the freezer, pasta in the cupboard and a pack of bacon and parmasen in the fridge.

Grab a big pot, put in some hot water, a dash of salt and pop it over a high heat. Meanwhile chop up one brown onion and 250g bacon (or you can just use a 175g pack) When the water boils, pop in your pasta. You've now got about 12 mins to get everything cooked. Put some oil in a saucepan and let it heat over a low heat. Add the onion and bacon together and turn up the heat a little. You want the onion to soften without burning and you want the bacon to cook through. This will take about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add 1 cup of frozen peas, stir through. It will take about 4 - 6 minutes for the peas to cook through. When the pasta is ready pull it out with tongs or a pasta spoon. You want to hold onto as much moisture as possible. Place pasta in bowls, add the bacon and pea mix and then top with a really good parmasen and lots of freshly grinded black pepper. Serve.

If you want to add chopped mushrooms or the squash and zucchini chuck them in when you add the peas. I like to think of this dish as my "Get out of jail free card".

2 comments:

  1. Yum - that looks delish. Sometimes I miss eating our four-legged friends. Especially bacon.

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  2. Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without bacon in my life!

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