I’m spring cleaning. My face is grubby with dust, my knees are black with grime and my nails… Well, let’s not go into too much detail there. This is a food blog after all. Don’t want to put you off the post in the first few lines. All you need to know is that I’m a busy bee today and don’t have much time for preparing food.
Kathryn at Limes and Lycopene is also busy this week and, as a result, is blogging about eating well when short on time. She asked her readers what they ate when in a rush. My first reponse was baked beans, eaten cold, from the tin. But that’s only when I’m really really rushed. Or really really hungry. On normally busy days I usually just look in the fridge, cupboards and freezer (in that order) and see what I can whip up with as little hassle as possible.
Today was a day like that and what I whipped up was really rather good. The idea comes from Helen at Food Stories. A few weeks ago she blogged about an Edamame and Broadbean Salad with Panchetta. It looked so very pretty and sounded so very delicious I knew I’d be making it soon. And I will. Today, however, I borrowed the basics of the dish and turned it in to a rather more substantial pasta lunch. Thanks for the inspiration, Helen. It was superb!
Edamame, Broadbean and Bacon Pasta
(serves one busy person)
Handful of frozen podded edamame (soya beans)
Handful of frozen broadbeans (fava beans)
2 rashers of bacon, chopped up
50g wholewheat pasta
8-10 basil leaves
Seasoning
Extra virgin olive oil
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Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the edamame and broadbean and boil for 4 minutes. Scoop out of the water with a slotted spoon. Peel the broadbeans if you feel the need – I like the skins.
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Add the pasta to the boiling bean water. Cook until al dente.
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Meanwhile, add the bacon to a non stick frying pan, without oil, and cook over a medium heat until crispy.
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Reserving a little of the cooking water first, drain the pasta.
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Add the beans, basil and pasta to the frying pan with the bacon. Toss. Add a little of the cooking water to loosen.
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Season carefully, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve.
A Wee Bit of Cooking 
Yum. Bacon. This looks like a great quick meal–thanks for sharing it. Happy cleaning!
that’s an impressive lunch for a busy person – I think I would have gone the baked beans or cheese on toast route. I was trying to work out what the red bits were in your photo – and best I could think was sundried tomato – that is my vegetarian blinkers – good luck with spring cleaning
Christina – Happy cleaning. Isn’t that an oxymoron? 😉
Johanna – My brother used to come home from the pub, make a mountain of cheese on toast then fall asleep. In the mornings when I used to wake him up the cold, greasy pile of food was still there. Haven’t been keen on cheese on toast since!
This looks good!
I can’t make up my mind about those frozen soya beans. They look like they are going to be fresh and green tasting like peas but they have quite a different flavour when you bite into them (not unpleasant, just not what you’re expecting)
I go for sweetcorn if I am starving! I like my beans hot!
Hey Wendy, I’m so glad I inspired you! That variation looks so delicious. I’ve never thought to add the combination to pasta but I’m going to try it next time I get my hands on some. Reciprocal inspiration!
Hi Wendy, I’ve never thought to put edamame beans in with pasta. But it’s a great way to get some protein in there.
Sophie – I adore them. They used to be served salted and in their pods in bars in Japan when you ordered a beer. Much better than peanuts!
Holler – Yup, sweetcorn’s good too. 🙂
Helen – I’m having it again tonight, it was so good!
Kathryn – I hadn’t thought of it either. It worked very well though.