Bacon & courgette pasta with chickpeas

Name: Bacon & courgette pasta with chickpeas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 200 g pack Essential British Unsmoked Bacon Lardons; 1 onion, thinly sliced; 500 g Essential Courgettes, cut into bitesized chunks; 2 clove/s garlic, crushed; 400 g pack cherry vine tomatoes; 200 g Essential Macaroni; 1 L chicken stock (made using 2 cubes); 400 g cans Essential Chickpeas In Water, drained and rinsed; 20 g Essential Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, finely grated; 25 g pack basil, leaves picked; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to serve

The secret to this filling, simple one pot is concentrating the flavours fully within the broth; get good colour on the bacon, and choose ripe, full flavoured tomatoes. The stock can be made with cubes, a stock pot or fresh, if you have it.

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HealthySource of fibre2 of your 5 a day

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook35 mins
Total time45 mins

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Ingredients

200g pack Essential British Unsmoked Bacon Lardons
1 onion, thinly sliced
500g Essential Courgettes, cut into bitesized chunks
2 clove/s garlic, crushed
400g pack cherry vine tomatoes
200g Essential Macaroni
1 L chicken stock (made using 2 cubes)
2 x 400g cans Essential Chickpeas In Water, drained and rinsed
20g Essential Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, finely grated
¼ x 25g pack basil, leaves picked
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Method

Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the lardons. Fry for 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until the lardons are golden and crisp. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and set aside.
Return the pan to the heat, add the onions and courgettes and fry for 4-5 minutes, until softening. Stir often and scrape the base of the pan to release any sticky bacon fat. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes more until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, pasta, stock and chickpeas and bring to a simmer
Once bubbling, partially cover the pan, reduce the heat slightly and gently simmer for 15 minutes more, until the pasta is tender and you have a soupy-stew consistency.
Check the seasoning, then divide between bowls and top with the reserved lardons, the cheese, basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

Cook’s tip

If you have a spare parmesan rind in the fridge or freezer, add it during the simmer stage – it will give a delicious depth of flavour. Remove before serving.