Name: Broad bean pasta with bacon, cream & mint
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300g podded broad beans (about 600g whole broad beans); 1 tbsp olive oil; 150g smoked diced pancetta or bacon lardons; 1 small garlic clove lightly bashed but left whole; 150ml double cream; 50g parmesan finely grated, plus the rind, if available; 400g pappardelle or other flat pasta; small handful of mint leaves picked and finely shredded; ½ lemon zested; crusty bread to serve

Broad bean pasta with bacon, cream & mint

Make the most of broad beans with this moreish pappardelle recipe. Remove the pasta and bacon, and you’ll still have a tasty side to serve with a roast

50 min total 30 min prep 20 min cook 4 769 cal

Instructions

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1 Cook the beans in a large pan of boiling salted water for 2-3 mins until just tender. Remove to a colander using a slotted spoon and rinse under cold running water. Pinch off the skins to reveal the bright green centres. The beans can be blanched and the skins removed up to a day ahead. Chill until needed.
2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the pancetta for 4-5 mins until crisp. Stir in the garlic clove and some cracked black pepper, and cook for 1 min more until fragrant. Pour in the cream and add the parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a simmer. Stir well, then stir through most of the parmesan and gently warm through the sauce.
3 Return the pan of bean cooking water to the boil and cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of the water. Tip the pasta into the sauce with the broad beans, mint and lemon zest, set over a low heat and toss everything together, adding a splash of the reserved water to loosen, if needed. Divide between warm bowls, scatter over the remaining parmesan, then serve immediately with crusty bread.