It’s a new year and I’m trying out new meals. This is one recipe idea I’ve had scribbled down in my ideas book for ages, but I’ve not had the guts to try it out on the family. Now my lot are good at trying new things and generally I’m pretty lucky as they eat most things. But I wasn’t convinced that they would see this as a hit. Pasta, yes, bacon, yes… but kale and red cabbage too? I went for it as we had all the right ingredients just waiting to be used up.
However I was very pleased I went with it. It was an all round hit. Everyone had seconds. Maybe I should grow kale this year.
Miss K: “Mummy I love it, love it”.
Toddler boy: banging his bowl asking for more – admittedly he wanted the pasta more than the kale.
This is a fresh tasting, zingy pasta dish, with crunch from the kale and a hit of saltiness from the bacon and the cheese.
- 1 tsp rapeseed oil
- 6 rashers of back bacon
- 1 onion diced
- 300g mixed kale and red cabbage chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 chilli finely chopped (optional) we added this after to the adults dishes
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 250g pasta (gluten free if required)
- Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped bacon and cook for a few minutes along with the onion.
- Now turn down the heat and add the kale, along with a splash of water if needed.
- Cook gently for 10 minutes, meanwhile cook the pasta.
- Add the garlic, rosemary and optional chilli to the kale.
- Strain the cooked pasta, adding a spoon of the water to the kale.
- Mix the pasta into the kale and add the lemon juice.
- Serve topped with grated hard cheese.
Ooh, sounds nice…I’ll give it a try.
Thanks Liam, I hope you like it!