* Serves 4

What do I need?

• 350g penne pasta
• 10 rashers bacon (or you could also use ham, prawns or canned tuna)
• 125g frozen petit pois or peas
• 10-12 tbsp garlic and herb cream cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

How do I make it?

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Preheat the grill to medium-high and line the grill pan with foil.
2. Grill the bacon until just crisp. Drain any fat and snip the rashers into pieces using scissors.
3. Just before the pasta is cooked, add the peas and return to the boil. Drain the pasta and peas, setting aside 6 tablespoons of the cooking water.
4. Return the pasta and peas to the pan with the cream cheese and cooking water, then season with pepper. Warm through, stirring continuously, until the pasta is coated in the cream cheese mixture and everything is hot.
5. Share between four plates and serve sprinkled with Parmesan if desired.

Why is it good for us?

• Pasta is a carbohydrate food, which is the body’s main source of energy and should form part of every meal.
• Peas are little nuggets of goodness, providing protein, iron, vitamin C, some B vitamins and potassium.
• Our major source of vitamin D is provided by sunlight on the skin, but is also found in hard cheeses, such as Parmesan.
  

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