Grated parmesan and streaky bacon stirred into shell pasta, baked till crispy and golden and topped with a parsley and breadcrumb mix.
Ingredients
- 500 g pasta shells
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 rashers streaky bacon, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves, garlic, crushed
- 60 g butter
- ¼ cup plain flour
- 3 cups milk
- ½ cup parmesan, grated
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 400 g can cherry tomatoes, drained
- 420 g can red salmon in oil, drained, bones and skin removed, flaked into chunks
- 200 g sourdough bread, torn
- ⅓ cup parsley leaves
Steps
Preheat oven to moderate 180 C.
Cook paste following packet instructions. Drain.
Mean while, in a frying pan, heat oil on medium. Sautè bacon, onion, garlic 4-5 mins, until onions softens.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Add flour and cook 1 min, stirring. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook 3-4 mins, stirring, until boils and thickens. Stir in parmesan and juice.
In an 8-cup-capacity baking dish, combine pasta with bacon mixture, tomatoes and salmon. Toss through sauce.
In a food processor, pulse bread to a fine crumb. Add parsley and pulse to chop well. Sprinkle over pasta mixture in dish. Bake 10-15 mins, until topping is golden.
Top Tip: Any leftover mashed potato makes a delicious topping underneath the breadcrumb layer.
Photo: Rodney Macuja/Bauer