Pasta with green peas and bacon

I like pasta because it's tasty and QUICK. My husband laughs at me that my go-to dish is pesto pasta (it is...). He hates pesto...

Anyway... Pasta is the kind of food that is a life saver when you don’t have much time to cook but still want to eat something homemade. You can have a meal from scratch in 10 minutes - what’s not to like? Throw in a handful of veg/meat and you’re ready to go. Swap your pasta to the brown type and it’s even healthier (ok, it takes longer to cook so let’s say 20 minutes). Also, you can just make a basic tomato sauce, freeze it and next time it’s a ready, one pan meal. There are so many things you can do with pasta - possibilities are endless!

I must admit this was a leftover dinner. I was looking in the fridge for things that needed using, found an open packet of bacon, some Greek yoghurt and after digging in the freezer (I mean really digging - we have one of those freezers that open from the top so if you want to get anything out you have to pretend to be an archaeologist on a mission) I discovered half a packet of peas and an idea was born. Hope you enjoy this recipe!

1 pork stock cube

Half a packet of spaghetti 

1tbsp olive oil

Smoked bacon, chopped, 150g

Frozen peas 200g

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

2 handfuls of grated mature cheddar

1. Cook pasta according to packet instructions. Add the stock cube to the boiling water.

2. Heat up the frying pan on the highest setting and, when really hot, add bacon and fry for a couple of minutes while stirring continuously.

3. Turn the heat down. Add olive oil. Fry the bacon until it’s just turning crisp.

4. By this time your pasta should be cooked al dente. Add it to the frying pan, together with some of the cooking water (Id say a cup) and mix with bacon. Add frozen peas and stir everything through. Keep the cooking water in case the sauce gets too thick. 

5. Add Greek yoghurt - do it carefully so it doesn’t split. I usually dollop it in one spot, wait until it warms through and then stir it in. 

6. Leave it to cook on low heat, checking it occasionally. If the sauce gets too thick add a bit more of cooking water. 

7. Plate up and sprinkle with grated Cheddar. Season with black pepper. You shouldn’t need to use salt as the cooking water would be quite salty thanks to the stock cube.

Quick scrambled eggs with bacon and asparagus

Quick. Easy. What's not to like?

Eggs - as many as you need

A bunch of asparagus

A few rashers of bacon

A handful or more of grated cheese

A knob of butter

1. Fry the bacon until nice and crispy.

2. Melt the butter.

3. Add asparagus.

4. Add eggs.

5. Season to taste.

Enjoy!

Bacon and leek risotto for a quick dinner

I know it's not a good photo but this risotto disappeared so quickly that I only managed to snap this at the table. It's good. It's got the official Husband's Seal of Approval. More so, he said I can make this every day. That's a praise indeed.

• a few slices of bacon, cut into pieces
• 1 leek, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped or squeezed
• 350g arborio rice (best for risotto)
• 1l of chicken stock
• 1tsp dried thyme
• 1tbsp yoghurt
• 1tbsp grated Pecorino Romano
• 1tbsp olive oil

1. Heat the olive oil in the pan and add bacon. Fry until quite crisp and remove from the pan.

2. Add the leek and fry until soft and a bit translucent. Add the garlic.

3. After a couple of minutes add rice, stir it around so it's well coated with oil.

4. Turn the heat down and add stock, one ladle at a time. Wait until it's absorbed before adding another ladle. Repeat this until you use up all the liquid. Risotto should be thick and creamy at this stage.

5.  Add thyme, a little of grated cheese, bacon and yoghurt to the pan and stir it all together. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Serve with the rest of your grated cheese sprinkled on top.

Chicken and bacon pie that tasted better than it looked

It doesn't look like much. Actually, when I cut into it I felt disappointed. I wanted the flaky crust and the sauce thicker. Next time I make it, it will. Because there will next time. Why? Because this pie was DELICIOUS! Honestly. Have a go.

For the pastry

• 325g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 180g cold butter
• 80g mature Cheddar (or any cheese you like)
• 1 egg

For the filling

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25g butter
• 6 chicken thighs, diced (bones taken out)
• 200g streaky bacon or pancetta
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 500ml dry cider
• 300ml chicken stock
• 200ml double cream
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 2 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 egg, beaten

1. To make the flaky pastry, put the flour and the bicarb of soda into a bowl, grate the butter into it and using the tips of your fingers mix it together until it resembles a crumble mixture. Add your cheese. Add the egg and a bit of lukewarm water to make a soft dough. Form into a bowl, cover in clingfilm and put in the fridge to chill for half an hour.

2. Now for the filling. Heat up the butter and olive oil in a pan and add the chicken thighs and bacon. Fry until the meat browns and then take it out of the pan and put aside.

3. Add the carrots and onion and fry until the onion is soft but not browned. Stir in the flour and put the chicken and bacon back in.

4. Pour in the stock and cider and bring to the boil. When it starts bubbling, turn the heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes.

5. Add cream, mustard and thyme and mix together. Warm cream beforehand by adding a bit of the liquid from the pan, very slowly - it'll stop cream from curdling. When all the ingredients are combined, pour them into your pie dish and leave to cool for a while.

6. In the meantime pre-heat the oven to 180C. Roll out the pastry so it's about half a centimetre thick and covers the top of your dish. Cover your dish with the pastry. Brush the beaten egg over the pastry to give it a nice shine. If you have any pastry left over, you can mould a flower or whatever you want and stick on top. I like it - it looks pretty. Make a little hole in the pastry so the steam can escape. Put it in the oven for about 30 minutes.

And.. enjoy!