Salty smoked bacon adds extra flavour to this simple courgette pasta, livened up with fried chilli flakes for a quick midweek meal
Ingredients
150g fiorelli or fusilli pasta
2 medium courgettes, halved and sliced 1cm thick on the diagonal
2½ tbsp olive oil
4 slices smoked streaky bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
a pinch dried chilli flakes
Step by step
Cook the pasta following pack instructions.
Meanwhile, toss the courgettes in 1 tbsp of olive oil and season. Heat a griddle pan until hot, then griddle the courgettes in batches until tender and grill-marked on both sides. As they are done, remove to a bowl and cover with a plate to keep warm.
Heat the remaining 11/2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon until crisp and golden. Add the garlic, turn down the heat so it doesn’t burn, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the chilli flakes, if using.
Drain the pasta, reserving a mug of the cooking water. Tip the pasta and courgettes into the bacon pan with 2 tbsp of the cooking water, and toss everything together. Season well and serve.
