Bacon Crusted Cheese & Spinach Penne Bake
with Balsamic Dressed Salad
This Bacon Crusted Cheese & Spinach Penne Bake is bursting full of flavours and makes the perfect dinner night option from HelloFresh. Cook up a fresh start!
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
90
Mature Cheddar Cheese
(Contains Milk)
180
Penne Pasta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
40
Baby Spinach
60
British Smoked Bacon Lardons
25
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
10
Chicken Stock Paste
1
Italian Style Herbs
150
Creme Fraiche
(Contains Milk)
12
Balsamic Vinegar
(Contains Sulphites)
50
Baby Leaf Mix
Not included in your delivery
1
Olive Oil for the Crumb
20
Butter
2
Plain Flour
200
Water for the Sauce
1
Olive Oil for the Dressing
Nutritional information
Utensils
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with 1/2 tsp salt for the pasta.
Grate the cheese.
When boiling, add the penne to the water and bring back to the boil. Cook until tender, 12 mins.
Pop the spinach into a colander in your sink.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it over the spinach so it's wilted and piping hot. Drizzle with a little oil to prevent it from sticking. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the bacon lardons and stir-fry until lightly browned, 1-2 mins.
Pour the bacon and its fat into a medium bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs and olive oil for the crumb (see pantry for amount), season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine. Set aside.
Pop your (now empty) frying pan back on medium-high heat with the butter (see pantry for amount).
Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour (see pantry for amount). Cook until it forms a paste, 1-2 mins - you've made a roux!
Gradually stir in the water for the sauce (see pantry for amount) and chicken stock paste. Bring to the boil, then stir and simmer until thickened, 1-2 mins.
Stir in the mixed herbs and creme fraiche, then remove from the heat.
Add the grated Cheddar to the sauce and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Stir the cooked pasta and spinach into the sauce until combined. Add a splash of water to loosen if you need to.
Pour the creamy pasta into an ovenproof dish, then sprinkle the bacon crumb evenly over the top. Bake on the top shelf of your oven until golden, 8-10 mins.
When everything's nearly ready, wash up the breadcrumb bowl and pop in the balsamic vinegar and olive oil for the dressing (see pantry for amount). Season with salt and pepper.
Mix together, then add the baby leaf mix and toss to coat.
Serve the penne bake in bowls with the salad alongside.
Enjoy!
