SPAGHETTI WITH PEAS AND BACON
by
ALASTAIR MCLEOD
Click play to watch Alastair make the recipe
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Yield 4
Prep time
10 MinCook time
20 MinTotal time
30 MinSpaghetti with Peas and Bacon
A quick, budget-friendly pasta with crispy bacon, creamy pea purée, and a hint of fresh mint - finished with lemon and parmesan for a bright, indulgent twist
Ingredients
- 180g + 325g frozen peas
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 bunch mint, leaves picked
- 125ml water
- 400g bag spaghetti
- Salt
- 480g D’orsogna rindless streaky bacon, diced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 100ml thickened cream
- 100g parmesan, finely grated
- ½ lemon
- Freshly milled pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Pea Purée:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 180g of the peas and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, half of the mint, and a small splash of water to the hand blender. Blend on high speed with a Braun hand blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peas to a hand blender or food processor.
- Blend on high speed with a Braun hand blender until smooth. Set aside.
Cook the Pasta
- In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta for 1–2 minutes less than the package instructions (about 6 minutes).
Crisp the Bacon
- In a large, heavy-based fry pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy and the fat is rendered.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels (a Chux cloth works too!). Set aside.
Make the Sauce
- Return the fry pan to medium heat and cook the diced onion in the rendered bacon fat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to season.
- Stir in the remaining frozen peas and cook until thawed. Then, pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in half of the grated Parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt into the sauce.
Combine and Finish
- Return the crispy bacon to the pan and add the cooked pasta. Gently toss to coat the pasta in the sauce.
- Stir in the pea purée and as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to achieve your desired sauce consistency.
- Spritz with lemon juice and stir in half of the remaining mint.
- Plate the pasta and garnish with a final sprinkle of Parmesan, the remaining mint, and a spritz of lemon juice.
- Season with freshly cracked black pepper and additional salt, if needed.
