Quick and Easy Bacon & Pea Pasta

All my recipes are made to serve two people, however there is usually left overs for lunch the next day.

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes to cook! It is so quick and easy. I know it sounds strange to use peas in a pasta, but the combination of bacon, peas and mint really compliment each other. Jared loves this dish and calls it my "signature dish". I can't take all the credit though, it is inspired by a Jamie Oliver recipe. Yes, I am a HUGE fan of the Naked Chef :)

Preparation Time: About 10 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins max

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of lean, diced bacon (you can use Pancetta, however I find it too fatty)
• 150g Young and Tender frozen peas
• 250ml fresh cream (you can use 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche, however it is hard to find and quite expensive)
• a bunch of fresh mint leaves (chopped finely with no stalks)
• 100g mini-shell pasta
• 10ml Canola oil
• 100g grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
• salt and pepper to season

Variation:

• Add some chicken to your sauce (chicken breast strips work best)

Method:

Add 10ml oil to a non-stick frying pan, once heated add the bacon bits with a bit of ground black pepper and ground sea salt. Fry a little, then add the crushed garlic. Fry until bacon is cooked through and slightly golden. Next add the peas and turn the heat right down. At this point you can boil your pasta shells in water with a pinch of salt (cook until al dente). Take the pasta off the stove and drain most of the water, reserving a bit for later. Next add the mint to the bacon and peas, fry for a few seconds and then add the fresh cream. Let the sauce simmer for a little while. Next add the pasta to the sauce, you can add a splash of the reserved cooking water to thin the sauce out a bit. Mix the pasta in with the sauce well and then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Your pasta can now be served. (Season with salt and pepper to taste)

(This dish is delicious served with a fresh green salad.)

Enjoy!!!!

For some awesome pasta recipes check out:

www.jamieoliver.com