Fast, fun and flavoursome! This recipe creates a quick and easy meal which uses common household ingredients. Great for anyone looking to bulk up, pre-prepare meals and useful for getting the kids to eat their greens, as you can make changes for peas or broccoli too.
Recipe Information
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 250g dry pasta (conchiglie)
- 170g – 340g (1 – 2 tubs) Philadelphia garlic and herbs cream cheese
- 2 leeks
- 200g unsmoked bacon medallions
Method
Step 1 – Before preparing the ingredients, preheat: a saucepan of lightly salted, boiling water for the pasta, a small frying pan with one teaspoon of oil and a large frying pan with a knob of butter on a medium heat. Do not allow the oil or butter to burn.
Step 2 – Trim the tops off of the leeks and slice along at a finger width as far as there is green. Wash the sliced leeks (it is better to wash them after they are sliced as leeks grow in layers and dirt can be deep within from the ground).
Step 3 – Dice the bacon as finely as you desire. Put the diced bacon into the small frying pan to cook until it has slightly browned and is cooked through. The leeks can cook at the same time in the large frying pan, stirred often until they have softened and slightly browned. The pasta will be cooked in the lightly salted, boiling water until al dente (cooking instructions may vary). This recipe uses conchiglie pasta as it holds the cream sauce well.
Step 4 – Mix the cooked bacon and leeks together in the large frying pan. Stir in 170g of garlic and herbs cream cheese, saving the rest for later in case you wish to thicken the sauce. To help the sauce bind together, add half a cup of water from the saucepan in which the pasta has cooked and allow to simmer for three to five minutes.
Step 5 – Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and mix well. Also consider adding peas or broccoli.