Bacon Pasta with Pesto

The Pesto recipe here is very simple and delicious - but there are some good brands available if time is really short.

Serves 4

Ingredients

450g (1 lb) dried chunky pasta shapes – such as rigatoni or penne
1 tablesp. oil
8 slices Quality Assured streaky Bacon, diced
1 chilli, finely chopped

Pesto

1 large bunch of fresh basil
50g (2 oz) pinenuts
50g (2 oz) regato cheese, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
4-6 tablesp. groundnut or olive oil

To Cook

Method

Add the pasta to a large saucepan of boiling water and simmer until just done, 7-8 minutes approx. Drain but keep a few tablesp. of the cooking water. This will help the sauce cling to the pasta and adds a certain creaminess. In a large pan cook the bacon in hot oil until crisp. Stir in the chilli and 1-2 tablesp. of the cooking liquid. Remove from the heat.

To make the Pesto:

Whiz the basil, pinenuts, cheese and garlic together in the processor. Add the oil gradually.

Serving Suggestions

Place the pan back on the heat. Stir in the pasta and heat through. Add enough pesto to flavour well. Left over pesto holds very well in the fridge and is a great addition to lots of meals and quick snacks.