Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato

A delicious twist on the classic Alfredo. Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato will change your 'go to' quick dinner forever.

How to make an authentic Alfredo sauce

A traditional Alfredo sauce actually doesn’t involve cream. In fact it’s creamy texture comes from an emulsion of butter, cheese and pasta water. A classic Alfredo also uses Fettuccine.

My Alfredo? Well, it certainly may not be traditional, but my god it’s tasty.

Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato Ingredients

• Penne Pasta
• Butter
• Cream
• Butter
• Garlic
• Bacon
• Sundried Tomatoes
• Basil
• Parmesan

By adding in some crispy bacon, some gorgeously rich sundried tomatoes, a blast of garlic and a sprinkle of fresh basil, you end up with something that’s truly bursting with flavour.

So forget what you knew about penne Alfredo and follow me on a journey of deliciousness!

How to make Penne Alfredo

1. Cook your penne until al dente. Retain a cup of starchy pasta water.
2. Fry your bacon, sundried tomatoes and garlic, then melt your butter.
3. Add cream, basil and seasoning, then simmer until thickened. Stir in your parmesan then add your pasta. Thin out with pasta water as needed.
4. Serve with extra basil and parmesan!

People are always so surprised when I show them the recipe for this because it really does taste like so much more effort has gone into it than actually has. This recipe is SO simple and requires such little ingredients; which is quite hard to believe after how beautiful it tastes. So smooth and silky, yet tangy and bursting with flavour.

The other fantastic thing about this recipe is the definition of a quick dinner. You know, there really is nothing worse than getting back from work and having to slave away in the kitchen when you don’t have the energy. On average it takes me around 20-25 mins to knock up this dish from start to finish, prep included. The perfect dinner to add to your meal rotations.

Tips for the perfect Penne Alfredo with Bacon & Sundried Tomato

• Salt – Go easy on the salt and make sure you use unsalted butter. Bacon and parmesan are both fairly salty so just ensure you don’t go overboard with the seasoning. A good amount of black pepper however is encouraged.
• Pasta Water – Creamy dishes often thicken and go gloopy quite quickly, so use your pasta water to thin out when necessary.
• Al Dente Pasta – There’s nothing worse than overly soft pasta, so make sure you boil it until it’s only just cooked. It will finish cooking in the pan.

Ingredients

• 10.6 oz (300g) Penne Pasta
• 1 1/4 cups (300ml) Heavy Cream
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 5 oz (150g) Streaky Bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan, grated (save some to sprinkle on top)
• 3/4 cup (75g) Sundried Tomato, sliced
• 1 tsp Garlic, minced
• Handful of Fresh Basil, chopped (save some to sprinkle on top)
• Salt & Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Method

1. Pop your pasta in a pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Retain a cup of starchy pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, fry your Bacon over medium heat until it begins to crisp, then add your Tomatoes and fry a little longer until they soften. Drain excess fat/oil if there's too much, add the Garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant, then add the Butter and stir until melted.
3. Pour in your Cream and sprinkle in your Basil. Stir to a smooth consistency, leaving to simmer on a low heat. When it just starts to thicken add in your Parmesan.
4. Once the sauce has fully thickened (8-10 mins) taste for seasoning, then add in your pasta and toss until coated. Simmer for a few minutes to soak up the sauce, stirring throughout and using your pasta water to thin out if it becomes too thick and gloopy.
5. Serve with and extra sprinkle of Parmesan and Basil!