Sicilian Style Pasta alla Brontese

Meanwhile, halve, peel and thinly slice the onion.

Trim the courgette and slice into 1cm thick rounds. Add the courgette to a baking tray and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread out in a single layer. 

When the oven is hot, roast on the top shelf until softened and browned, 18-20 mins. Turn halfway through.

Pop the (now empty) frying pan back on medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (if you have any).

When hot, add the onion, season with salt and pepper and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, 8-10 mins. 

Meanwhile, peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). 

Remove the pistachios from their shells. TIP: If you don't have a blender, roughly chop the pistachios for later.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with ½ tsp salt for the spaghetti.

Once the onion has softened, add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 min more.

Stir in the chicken stock paste, pistachios, creme fraiche and water for the sauce (see pantry for amount). 

Bring to the boil, lower the heat and add the spinach to the pan a handful at a time until wilted and piping hot, 1-2 mins. Stir in the hard Italian style cheese. 

Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the pan of boiling water and bring back to the boil. Cook until tender, 8 mins.

Once the pasta is cooked, reserve some of the pasta water (see pantry for amount), then drain the pasta in a colander. Drizzle with oil to stop it sticking together.

Meanwhile, transfer the sauce to a blender if you have one and blitz until smooth. TIP: No blender? No problem - the pasta will still taste delicious as is!

Once the sauce is blended, pop it back in your (now empty) frying pan and add the cooked bacon. Warm through on medium heat, 1-2 mins.