Loaded Penne Arrabiatta

Spicy, veggie loaded, bacon filled, anchovy spiked goodness!

Ingredients

• For anchovy-haters, reduce the amount as desired but you seriously can’t taste them, they add just a wonderful salty dimension to the dish. If you can’t find arrabiatta or a similar spicy sauce, sub any basic bottled tomato pasta sauce and add chilli powder to taste.
• serves 4.
• – 6 rashers shortcut bacon
• – 1 onion, finely diced
• – 1 red capsicum, diced
• – 1 medium zucchini, sliced thinly and pressed with paper towel to remove moisture
• – 2 cups sliced button mushrooms
• – 2-4 anchovies, depending on taste, chopped finely
• – 1 large garlic clove, minced
• – chilli powder or flakes, to taste (optional)
• – 1 jar arribiatta pasta sauce, or similar
• – 400gm penne pasta
• – grated parmasan, to serve.

Instructions

STEP 1:

1. Pop water on to boil for the pasta.

STEP 2:

2. Fry bacon in a bit of oil until beginning to crisp, then add onion and cook until softened. Add zucchini and fry until mixture begins to brown/caramelize slightly. Chuck your pasta on now and cook to packet instructions.

STEP 3:

3. Add mushroms, anchovies and garlic and cook until mushrooms have softened.

STEP 4:

4. Pour pasta sauce over bacon mixture and stir until heated. Taste and adjust to taste with chilli, salt and pepper.

STEP 5:

5. Drain pasta, stir through sauce and serve with cheese and more cracked pepper, if desired! Delish with garlic bread too.