Bacon, pea & basil macaroni

• porties: Serves 4
• actieve tijd: 10 mins
• totale tijd: 30 minutes

Ingrediënten

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 tsp English mustard

small bunch basil, shredded

Instructies

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 150mI 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.

Make 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.