Bacon and Vegetable Pasta

Hello, Sous Baker here!

It couldn't really be anyone else with it being a pasta recipe!

To start the week, we have decided to share one of our most versatile recipes! You may have seen some of these ingredients before in our quiche.

We like to use this bacon and vegetable base as it's so versatile. It can be used as a carbonara, paired with a creamy sauce, or simply with some chicken stock - you can choose depending on what you fancy, or what you have in the cupboard! If you don't have these vegetables, sweetcorn, peas or broccoli are all good substitutes.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

Oil for frying

100g Bacon Lardons

1 Leek, Chopped

1 Onion, Sliced

A handful of Mushrooms, Sliced

2 Carrots, Chopped

Roughly 240g of Pasta (depending on how much of a pasta fiend you are!)

Creamy sauce:

1 250ml Carton of Single Cream (we use oatly as I am dairy free).

1 Chicken Stock Cube

Pepper for seasoning

Carbonara Sauce:

3 Eggs, beaten with salt and pepper

Chicken Stock Sauce:

1 Chicken Stock Cube

300ml Boiling Water

Method:

1. Fry the lardons until crispy.

2. In a separate frying pan, fry onion and carrots in oil.

3. Once onion has started to soften, add the leeks and fry for 3 minutes.

4. Add mushrooms and fry until cooked through before adding the cooked lardons. 

5. Whilst the vegetables are cooking, cook pasta in a pan of boiling water with a drop of olive oil for around 10 minutes.

6. Drain pasta.

(From here see each individual sauce)

For Creamy Sauce:

1. Once vegetables are cooked, turn down the heat and add the cream, crumbled stock cube and pepper.

2. Cook until cream starts to bubble, stiring frequently.

3. Add pasta to the frying pan, stir and serve.

For Carbonara Sauce:

1. Once vegetables and pasta are cooked, combine into one pan.

2. Turn down the heat and pour the egg mixture over the pasta and vegetables.

3. Stir continuously to avoid the egg catching, until the egg is cooked through and the pasta is thoroughly coated and serve.

For Chicken Stock Sauce:

1. Crumble stock cube into the boiling water.

2. Once vegetables are cooked, add the stock and allow to simmer until reduced.

3. Add pasta, stir and serve.

And there you have it, bacon and vegetable pasta three ways. This is on my menu at University every week. I call it my homely meal.

Tag us @rousties to show us which sauce you choose! We went for creamy pasta last week!

Until next time,

Sous Baker x