Broad bean pasta with bacon, cream & mint

Ingredients

For 4 servings

• •300 g podded broad beans (about 600g whole broad beans)
• •1 c. à soupe olive oil
• •150 g smoked diced pancetta or bacon lardons
• •1 small garlic clove lightly bashed but left whole
• •150 ml double cream
• •50 g parmesan finely grated, plus the rind, if available
• •400 g pappardelle or other flat pasta
• •small handful of mint leaves picked and finely shredded
• •0.5 lemon zested
• •crusty bread to serve

Method

1. 1.Cook the beans in a large pan of boiling salted water for 2-3 mins until just tender. Remove to a colander using a slotted spoon and rinse under cold running water. Pinch off the skins to reveal the bright green centres. The beans can be blanched and the skins removed up to a day ahead. Chill until needed.
2. 2.Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the pancetta for 4-5 mins until crisp. Stir in the garlic clove and some cracked black pepper, and cook for 1 min more until fragrant. Pour in the cream and add the parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a simmer. Stir well, then stir through most of the parmesan and gently warm through the sauce.
3. 3.Return the pan of bean cooking water to the boil and cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of the water. Tip the pasta into the sauce with the broad beans, mint and lemon zest, set over a low heat and toss everything together, adding a splash of the reserved water to loosen, if needed. Divide between warm bowls, scatter over the remaining parmesan, then serve immediately with crusty bread.