Sunday, May 29, 2011

Baby Farfalle with a Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce

This is one of those meals that tastes so miraculous, yet it all comes together with leftovers. Half a box of pasta, half a pack of bacon, some leftover peas from dinner the other night, mint from the garden, and just the right amount of Parmesan cheese.  It's a creamy, cheesy, comforting and pleasing meal that was heaven sent. Plus, it all comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta.


Pasta with a Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
Serves 4-6 (I halved the recipe)

10 slices smoked bacon or pancetta
a small bunch of fresh mint
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried mini shell or other type of pasta
olive oil
a pat of butter
2 cups frozen peas
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lemon
6 ounces Parmesan cheese

To prepare your pasta:
Finely slice the bacon.  Pick the mint leaves and discard the stalks. Finely grate the Parmesan.

To cook your pasta:
Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil.  Add the mini pasta and cook according to the package instructions.  Get a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a good lug of olive oil and the butter.  Add the bacon to the pan, sprinkle a little pepper over and fry until golden and crisp.  Meanwhile, finely chop your mint leaves.  As soon as the bacon is golden, add your frozen peas and give the pan a good shake.  After a minute or so, add the heavy cream and chopped mint to the bacon and peas.  Drain the pasta in a colander over a large bowl, reserving some of the cooking water.  Add the pasta to the frying pan.  Halve your lemon and squeeze the juice over the pasta.  When it's all bubbling away nicely, remove from the heat.  It's really important that the sauce is creamy, silky, and delicious but if it's too thick for you, add a splash of the reserved cooking water to thin it out a bit.  Add the grated Parmesan and give the pan a shake to mix it in.

To serve your pasta:
Divide your pasta between plates or bowls, or put it on the table in a large serving dish and let everyone help themselves.  Lovely with a simply dressed green salad.


Notes/Results:  I absolutely loved this recipe!  Creamy, cheesy, bacony...delicious.  I do want to note that I needed to use a touch more cream to bring it all together, but otherwise it was perfect!

If you're celebrating the Memorial Day holiday have a great weekend!!

28 comments:

  1. Looks delicious! This dish makes me think I should cook with mint more often.

    I had to laugh when I read that you used half a box of pasta...because I know the other half is now part of your pasta collection!

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  2. This DOES look amazing...creamy and delectable. I can just taste it from the way you described it. I'll be trying this one asap. Enjoy the rest of your extended weekend :D

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  3. Love meals like this one-the creaminess, the bacon....Delicious. This just the kind of thing my kids will eat too.

    Have a great holiday weekend.

    Velva

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  4. Each of your pasta recipe posts are so yummy, Kim! This is the kind of pasta dish that I start eating out of the pan ~ ~ a true weakness! Happy Memorial Day weekend!

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  5. Oh, yum! In my mind, I've Xed out the peas and am savouring the extra creaminess up against the bacon. Happy Memorial Day weekend, Kim.

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  6. I've actually been eying this but am trying to figure out how to do it without the bacon. Yours looks amazing!

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  7. All that rich sauce with just two tablespoons of cream. Just a tad decadent - but a lot of deliciousness.

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  8. I didn't even have to read the recipe to know this was good. The title and the picture sold me!

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  9. Great way to use up some of your pasta collection. Baby farfalle is just so much fun. The sauce looks creamy and yummy. ;-)

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  10. This looks so gorgeous and creamy. I'm sure the fresh mint really livens it up too!

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  11. Oh my. I wish I was having this for dinner tonight!

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  12. I am so jealous! I think I made that pasta and didn't have much success. BUT it didn't look at all as good as yours :-) Bravo!

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  13. Are you kidding me? I fell in love with this the moment I saw the first picture! Excellent job Kim!

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  14. Oh Kim I have so much mint right now in my herb garden! And I have bacon in the freezer,looks like this is on the menu for the week.

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  15. Looks really yummy! The mint is surprising to me!

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  16. Beautiful! Great family-friendly meal.
    I'm really getting into cooking more with mint now, it adds that certain something to savoury foods.

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  17. You cannot go wrong with a Jamie recipe and I love the creamy, cheesy texture your photos show.

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  18. I always love your pasta dishes, it looks like a good ration of everything. Perfect for my lunches all week!

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  19. This is the kind of meal my family loves too. I never would have thought of adding mint.

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  20. This sounds amazing! I thought there would be more cream involved. I was happy to see it's only 2 tablespoons :)

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  21. i'm sitting here wondering what i should have for lunch, what i wouldn't give for a big cheesy bowl of this! YUMMY, i love the bacon.

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  22. Comfort food!
    Mimi

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  23. Kim,
    This is so weird, i couldn't post a comment with my google account, but I could as anonymous. Any way glad to hear that you got your bake sale group back on track.
    Mimi
    Mimi's Kitchen

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  24. Oh man, that combination must be killer! I'm a sucker for salty bacon and creamy pasta.

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  25. I know this would be absolutely heavenly - what is not not to love about pasta with a creamy, smoky bacon sauce, plus peas and herbs. I love everything about this dish, and what a great way to use up some leftovers.
    Sue xo

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  26. Looks absolutely fantastic. I wish I had a huge dish of this right now. Creamy, smoky bacon and pasta, it has everything I love in one dish!

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  27. keep on stirring the pot in your Kentucky home.They look delicious.Cooking is an important way of soothing,i guess.Only if you don't eat too much.I enjoy eating and cooking.While eating,i feel good so good but afterwards.....
    anyways, congrats for your practical recipes.good job!

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  28. Which book is this out of? And is the fish and chips in any of his books?

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