Bacon and broccoli penne

This delightful dish brings together crispy bacon, vibrant broccoli and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan for a flavour-packed meal. Using a trusty cast-iron casserole pot, you’ll whip up these tasty penne in no time – perfect for a quick and easy dinner that the whole family will love. Top tip: use premium bacon (like ours) that doesn’t lose any water when cooked.

Preparation: 5 mins

Cooking: 15 mins 

Serves: 4

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

  • 400g penne pasta
  • 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 dry-cured bacon rashers, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 100g Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Salt and pepper

Recipe

  1. Using a large cast-iron casserole pot, bring some salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the pack instructions until al dente.
  2. Reserve a cup of cooking water, before draining the pasta and then set it aside.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, place about an inch of water in a saucepan with a steamer basket and bring it to a boil.
  4. Steam the broccoli florets for about 5 minutes until tender but still vibrant green. You can also place the broccoli directly into the boiling water if you don’t have a steamer basket. Drain and set aside.
  5. In the same pan as used for the pasta, warm the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and fry for about 5–7 minutes.
  6. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
  7. Add the crushed garlic to the same pan and sauté for around 1–2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
  8. Add the cooked penne and broccoli to the pan with the garlic. Toss everything together over a medium heat, adding some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a light sauce.
  9. Stir in the bacon and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Remove from the heat and sprinkle generously with the grated Parmesan.

 

Serve hot with extra Parmesan and a fresh side salad, and watch everyone’s faces light up with delight. 😊

 

 

Also take a look at these pasta recipes: