PASTA WITH BACON & PEAS

It is a good idea to go through your freezer and pantry every week to find any ingredients you may have forgotten. Half a box of frozen pasta, some frozen bacon and frozen peas. I used my favourite quick recipe (pasta + Parmesan+ greens) and added bacon for a quick and delicious meal. This Pasta with Bacon and Peas will be a regular on my rotation. !

WHAT KIND OF PASTA CAN I USE?

This recipe can be made with any pasta in your kitchen. It’s a great way to use up leftovers. You can make this recipe with spaghetti, fusilli or penne. These little pasta shells were so cute! The peas would get trapped in them, making them look like they were in a pod. 🙂

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ADD?

As with all my recipes, I like to create a simple base you can eat as-is or add to if you have the ingredients. These are just a few delicious additions you could make to Pasta with Bacon & Peas.

• Serve with a fried or hard-boiled egg.
• Add a few pieces of fresh spinach to the mix.
• Serve with crispy fried onions.
• Add a little malt vinegar to your mix.
• To make it creamy, add heavy cream.

PASTA WITH BACON & PEAS

• Pasta with bacon and peas is quick and easy to make using ingredients you already have.

INGREDIENTS

• • 8 oz. pasta* ($0.63)
  • 6 oz. bacon ($2.06)
  • 1 small onion (0,32)
  • 1 cup frozen peas (0.50)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.44)
  • 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional). ($0.01).

INSTRUCTIONS

• • Bring the water to a boil and add the pasta. After the water has boiled, add the pasta to the pot and boil for another 7-10 minutes. Before draining the pasta, reserve about half the starchy pasta water.
  • Cook the bacon while the pasta boils. Cook the bacon in a large skillet on medium heat until crispy and brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. The bacon grease should be drained from the pan.
  • Finely chop the onion while the bacon is cooking. Sauté the onion in the bacon grease until it is tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the frozen peas and 1/4 cup of pasta water to a skillet. Cook and stir the peas until they are cooked through.
  • Mix the pasta with the water in the skillet. Stir to combine and then remove from heat.
  • Sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Mix well. Adjust the salt and pepper according to your taste.