Bacon, pea & basil macaroni
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Bacon, pea & basil macaroni

By Good Food

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only

The perfect summer comfort food – classic macaroni cheese with extra veggies and herbs

  • Prep:10 mins
    Cook:20 mins
  • Serves 4
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 703
  • fat 32g
  • saturates 16g
  • carbs 81g
  • sugars 7g
  • fibre 6g
  • protein 28g
  • salt 1.87g

Ingredients

  • 6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
  • 2 leeks, finely sliced into rings
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 140g frozen peas
  • 400g macaroni
  • 200g pack soft cheese
  • 85g mature cheddar, grated
  • 1 tbsp English mustard
  • small bunch basil, shredded

Tip

Making it with pastry: Creamy cheese & bacon tart
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll a 375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry onto a baking sheet, then score a 2cm border around the edge. Cook the bacon, leeks and peas as before. Mix the soft cheese with the mustard, then spread over the middle of the pastry. Scatter with the veg and bacon, then bake for 20 mins, adding the cheddar with 5 mins to go, until the cheese is melting and the pastry is golden.

Method

  1. Fry the bacon and leeks in the oil for 10 mins until the bacon is golden and the leeks soft. Tip in the peas and heat through. Meanwhile, boil the pasta and heat the grill to high.

  2. Reserve 150ml of the cooking water before you drain the pasta, then add it, the soft cheese, half the grated cheese and the mustard to the pan with the veg. Stir until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce. Stir in most of the basil and the pasta, then scatter with the rest of the cheese. Grill for 2-3 mins until the cheese melts. Scatter with basil to serve.

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