Spicy Bacon Pasta

 

There is nothing better than a bowlful of pasta.

This is my new, absolute favourite pasta dinner. It is quick, tasty and uses a lot of kitchen staples which I always seem to have on hand. It is a perfect mid-week dinner that I probably make once a week. It's a take on amatriciana but it's got so many changes to that classic that I can't call it that in good faith.

The only slightly niche ingredient is nduja which, if you frequent hipster pizza establishments you'll probably have come across before. It's a very spicy Italian pork paste that has basically unlimited uses. It's fabulous mixed into a sauce like this where it confers a warmth. It's AMAZING in a grilled cheese sandwich where the spiciness really comes through. You can also just spread it on a cracker. No rules.

I get mine from the butcher but I have seen it in supermarkets too. Try it. Once I started using it, I couldn't imagine life without it. I basically have to have it in the fridge at all times.

Serves 2 generously, I usually add a little more pasta and make an extra portion for lunch the next day

Za'atar Dinner Rolls

It's a bold statement, but I think my all-time favourite spice mix is Za'atar. I think I've obsessed over this since encountering it for the first time in Beirut last year (oh, travel eating.. how you are missed). It's thyme, it's sesame, it's herby and nutty and a little bit tangy and I found it in Morrison's spice aisle so it isn't unknown to the UK!

I add it to every pizza dough I make, I throw it into any meat I marinade for a shawarma meal, and I haven't made a loaf without it since finding some. In lockdown, this is what I stockpiled. I am obsessed.

When I saw these little za'atar rolls, I pretty much made them for dinner the following day. 

So good. Make them now.