Pesto Pasta with mushrooms and crispy bacon

This pasta is brilliant for kids. Older kids could even have a go making it themselves. It also freezes very well, making it perfect to have ready to go for a rainy day. I also think it would be a great meal to make someone who needed a bit of comfort food in their lives – creamy pesto pasta always make me feel better.

Ingredients

• olive oil 1 tablespoon
• garlic 1 clove, finely chopped
• onion 1, finely diced
• button mushrooms 200 grams, sliced
• streaky bacon 4 rashers, diced
• cream 300 mililetres
• fresh or dried pasta (I used penne) 300-400 grams
• pesto 3-4 tablespoons
• fresh basil to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic, onion, mushrooms and bacon for 4-5 minutes on medium heat until bacon is cooked and mushrooms are tender.
2. Add cream and simmer for 3-4 minutes until reduced. Season to taste.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and stir the pesto through the pasta.
4. Gently stir the mushroom and bacon cream through the pesto pasta.
   Garnish with cracked pepper and fresh basil leaves and serve.