Homemade Italian Minestrone Soup
A hearty Italian minestrone with vegetables, beans and pasta in a rich tomato broth for an easy family dinner.
Bacon & Mushroom Pasta
This bacon and mushroom pasta is a reliable weeknight staple: salty crispy bacon, browned mushrooms, and garlic tossed through hot pasta with a little reserved cooking water to make a light, glossy sauce.
It comes together in about half an hour, uses supermarket staples, and tastes rich without being heavy. Finish with parmesan and black pepper, and serve straight away while everything is piping hot.
Method
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- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the penne until al dente according to packet instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large frying pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the bacon and fry for 4–5 minutes until crisp at the edges.
- Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and any moisture has cooked off.
- Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Reserve about 150 ml of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Add the drained pasta to the frying pan with most of the parmesan and a splash of the reserved cooking water. Toss for 1–2 minutes until glossy and well coated.
- Season with black pepper, add more cooking water if needed to loosen, then stir through the chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately with extra parmesan on top.
Ingredients
- 200 g Streaky Bacon sliced into strips
- 40 g Parmesan Cheese finely grated, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp Flat-leaf Parsley finely chopped
- 300 g Dried penne pasta
- 3 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
- 250 g Chestnut Mushrooms sliced
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Notes
Swap chestnut mushrooms for button or portobello mushrooms depending on what you have.
For a creamier finish, stir in 2 tablespoons of crème fraîche off the heat before serving.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
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