September 2018

This post has been getting quite a few hits in the last couple of months and every time I saw it pop up I’d cringe a little. The pictures on it were embarrassing, it was one of my first posts. I have decided to revisit old posts and show them some love and take a few new photos. So I was thinking of this one when recently himself turned round to me and said, “Do you know what you haven’t made in a while…” Great minds and all that.

And he is right, I haven’t made this in ages. Possibly because I used to make it all the time and when I do that I tend to fall out of love with recipes. So I made this again and we both devoured it. You can substitute crème fraiche for the cream but I do recommend using full fat as low fat dairy can split when cooking with it. I’m not recommending that you eat it every day but when you do, you may as well go all out!

For a meat free recipe have a look at my Creamy Mushroom Pasta.

 

 

 

 

Creamy Pasta With Bacon & Peas

 

 

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 200g pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, diced
• 1 small onion, very finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 125ml white wine
• 250ml hot chicken or veg stock
• 75g cream cheese
• 75ml double cream or creme fraiche
• 15g freshly grated parmesan
• 75g frozen peas
• Black pepper to season
• 200g penne pasta
• Fresh basil leaves

Method:

• Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom pan over a medium heat. Add pancetta or bacon and cook until crispy.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion. Cook gently until the onion has softened and then add the garlic and cook for another two minutes.
• Turn up the heat and add the wine. Cook until the alcohol burns off and the amount of wine has reduced by about half.
• Add the stock and cook for a few mins.
• Reduce the heat again and add the cream cheese. Cook until the cheese is completely incorporated into the sauce and then add the peas and parmesan.
• Turn down to a simmer and start to cook the pasta as per packet instructions.
• While the pasta is cooking, add the cream to the sauce and simmer gently to heat through.
• Taste the sauce and season with freshly cracked black pepper as needed. You should not need salt because of the bacon and parmesan. Tear up the basil leaves and stir them through the sauce.
• Drain the pasta, retain a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water – this will help the pasta and sauce mix. Add the water and pasta to the sauce and stir in until it is well mixed.
• Dish up the pasta and garnish with more freshly grated parmesan and black pepper. Serve with a green salad and/or some fresh bread.