Arrabiata

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For some reason I never order Arrabiata when I go out to eat but I quite enjoy making it at home. It's an especially good choice when I have a pack of bacon in the fridge that needs using up. And if I happen to have my back-up ready roast chicken in the fridge it's actually a pretty speedy meal. For some reason I always add mushrooms, I guess it breaks up the meatiness a little. I know it's traditionally meant to be made with penne but I vary the pasta depending on my mood, but to be honest the penne tastes the best! 

Pasta Arrabiata

(Serves 2 | total prep and cooking time 40 mins)

Ingredients 

- 150 g or 6 handfuls of pasta 

- 1 onion - diced 

- 3 cloves of garlic - finely chopped 

- 1/2 chilli - finely chopped 

- 3 tomatoes - chopped

- 150-200g mushrooms - sliced

- 4 rashers of bacon

- 1 chicken breast fillet

- basil or other Italian herbs - frozen, fresh or dried

- black pepper

- 150ml vegetable or chicken stock 

Method

- cut the chicken breast into small pieces and fry in a little oil until sealed all over. Set aside

- heat a little more oil and cook the bacon. Once cooked remove any fat and cut into small pieces

- heat some more oil and fry the onion, garlic and chilli 

- add the mushrooms and cook for a few moments 

- add the tomatoes 

- return the chicken an bacon to the pan and stir well

- add the herbs and the stock and simmer for 10-15 mins until the chicken in cooked through. 

- turn up the heat until any excess liquid has evaporated 

- meanwhile cook pasta according to intstrictions 

- once cooked, drain the pasta and stir into the Arrabiata sauce 

- top with fresh black pepper