A comforting bowl of pasta can get some extra nutrients by using whole grain pasta, adding in some fiber and protein rich buttery chickpeas and sneaking in a vegetable that become quite tasty and pretty inconspicuous like sweet butternut squash. Bacon provides a ton of flavour and makes the dish extra filling while a light, oil-based sauce like pesto enhances all the other flavours and keeps it from getting too weighed down.
Chopping the bacon up and julienning the butternut ensures that it all cooks evenly and quickly. It takes a few extra minutes to get everything cut so small but the extra ease of cooking makes up for that.
The pasta gets boiled separately in water but for everything else, only one pot is needed and it all goes in at once- making for a fast and easy prep, cooking process and clean-up.
Topping the pasta off with some arugula leaves add a bite from their fresh pepperiness. Leafy greens are well known super foods and getting them in anywhere possible is beneficial. I like arugula for wintery, cozy dishes like this because of its extra strong flavour and its contrast in texture to the denser foods beneath it. It can be used like lettuce in salads but in this instance it has enough flavour to serve the purpose of fresh herbs.
- 1 454 g bag whole grain pasta (I used brown rice shells)
- 2 cups bacon, chopped (around 8-9 thick rashers)
- 2 cups butternut squash, julienned (1 small)
- 1 15 oz (425 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 shallot, sliced
- ⅓ cup pesto
- Optional topping: peppery arugula leaves and/or freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
- Heat up a large pot ⅔ full of water on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Check the package directions for the cooking time for the pasta, if it is around 13-15 minutes then get it going at the same time as the other ingredients, which take around 12-13 minutes, if it is shorter then add it in once the timer on the other ingredients gets to that amount of time (i.e. 7 minutes left).
- Heat up a large skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add in the bacon, butternut, chickpeas and shallot, stirring often until the bacon has fully cooked, the butternut is soft and the chickpeas are golden, around 13 minutes. If everything starts to stick to the bottom and brown too quickly turn the heat down to medium. If there is excess oil left from the bacon at the end remove and dispose it.
- Strain the pasta once it is done, disposing of the cooking water, and add it and the pesto into the skillet. Toss gently to combine and serve hot.
