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Bacon Rigatoni

Bacon Rigatoni

with Aubergine, Tomatoes and Feta

There's an Italy-meets-Greece vibe to tonight's dinner. Pasta and pancetta are in the Italian corner and feta cheese is representing the Greek contingent. They're joined by luscious roast aubergine which is equally beloved of both countries. It's like being on holiday in two places at once!

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.

Preparation Time25 minutes
Cooking time10 minutes
DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

serving amount

100

Feta Cheese

125

Baby Plum Tomatoes

1

Echalion Shallot

200

Rigatoni Pasta

60

Bacon Lardons

1

Finely Chopped Tomatoes with Onion and Garlic

1

Aubergine

(May contain Celery)

1

Garlic Clove

1

Flat Leaf Parsley

1

Chilli Flakes

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Nutritional information

Energy (kcal)736 kcal
Energy (kJ)3079 kJ
Fat21 g
of which saturates11 g
Carbohydrate96 g
of which sugars23 g
Protein33 g
Salt3.6 g
Always refer to the product label for the most accurate ingredient and allergen information.

Utensils

Chopping Board
Medium Saucepan
Knife
Baking Tray
Colander
Grill Pan
Bowl

Instructions

Do the prep
1

Preheat your grill to high. Put a large saucepan of water with 0.5 tsp salt on to boil for the pasta. Trim the aubergine then halve lengthways. Chop each half into 1cm wide long strips then chop widthways into roughly 1cm pieces. Halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Halve the tomatoes. Roughly chop the parsley (stalks and all). Crumble the feta into rough chunks.

Grill the Aubergine
2

Put the aubergine on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out evenly and pop under your grill until soft and browned, 15-20 mins. Turn halfway through cooking. TIP: Keep an eye on the aubergine - you may need to adjust the heat if it starts to brown too quickly! Once cooked, remove from the grill but don't turn it off.

Cook the pasta
3

Meanwhile, add the rigatoni to your pan of boiling water and cook until 'al dente', about 12 mins. Once cooked, drain the pasta in a colander and return to the pan. Drizzle over a little oil and stir through to stop it sticking together.

Start the Sauce
4

In the meantime, heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the bacon lardons and stir-fry until browned and crispy, 5-6 mins. Add the shallot, stir and cook until soft, 3-4 mins. Add the garlic and chilli flakes (only a pinch - they're hot!), stir together and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the finely chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of sugar (if you have some).

Simmer
5

Lower the heat to medium and simmer the sauce until it has thickened and reduced by half, 6-7 mins. Once the aubergine is cooked, stir it into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.

Finish and Serve
6

Meanwhile, put the cherry tomatoes and feta on the baking tray you used for the aubergine (no need to wash it). Drizzle with oil and season with pepper. Gently combine them, then grill until the feta is browned and the tomatoes are soft, 4-5 mins. Stir the pasta into the sauce and stir in half the parsley. Serve in bowls with the grilled tomatoes and feta on top, sprinkled with the remaining parsley. Enjoy!