This is one of those really simple recipes that is really cheap yet filling. The type of pasta you use isn’t essential, but I like fusilli because the sauce sticks nicely to the twirly sides. You can make your own pesto sauce, but for convenience I always keep a jar on hand.
My brother actually made this for me when he was a student, and it’s a great lunchtime choice because it’s quick, cheap and easy. I usually have some back bacon in the fridge, but streaky would work fantastically, and if you use smoked bacon it’ll add extra flavour. Oh, and if you don’t like bacon just leave it out, it still works really well. This recipe is for one portion, but it’s very easy to double, triple and even quadruple it to feed more people.
Pasta with Bacon and Pesto
A cheap and easy pasta dish
Ingredients
- 75 g dried fusilli pasta
- 1 rasher smoked bacon chopped
- 1/4 onion diced
- 3 mushrooms quartered
- 1 tbsp pesto
Instructions
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile heat a non-stick frying pan then add a drizzle of olive or vegetable oil. Gently fry off the onion until it starts to soften, then add the chopped bacon until it starts to colour. Up the heat a bit and toss in the mushrooms, stirring them so they fry and soak up the oniony, bacony oil.
- Once the pasta has cooked, take out a little of the starchy, salty cooking water – a couple of tablespoons will do – then drain the pasta without being too fussy about it; a bit of cooking water still coating the pasta is ok.
- If you used a colander, tip the pasta back into the pan, then add the fried bacon and onion mix. Stir in the pesto sauce, making sure all the pasta is coated, and adding a little of the reserved pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce a little.
- Tip it into a large bowl, maybe sprinkle over some freshly grated Parmesan and a grinding of black pepper, and enjoy.
Notes
Magickal Properties
Basil – prosperity, purification, protection
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