creamy bacon and pea pasta

Ingredients — 4 servings

• 12 oz (340 g) fettuccine or linguine
• 6–8 oz (170–225 g) bacon, diced
• 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• ¼–½ cup reserved pasta water

Method

1. Cook the pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove excess grease if there’s a lot, leaving about 1–2 tbsp in the pan.
3. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the heavy cream and butter. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
5. Add the Parmesan and black pepper, stirring until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta water.
6. Add the peas and warm for 1–2 minutes.
7. Toss in the drained pasta and bacon. Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the noodles beautifully.
8. Finish with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.