My love of pasta doesn’t diminish in the warmer months but I use lighter ingredients for a bright and comforting mid-week meal. A few slices and a bag of frozen peas are brought to life with a little fresh mint and basil. You can grow these herbs in pots either on a bright windowsill or in the garden. Quick hint – put potted soft herbs into a tray and add water to the tray so that they suck up water rather than watering from the soil down. This way they’ll grow stronger and last longer.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 2 Adults & 2 Kids
250g frozen peas (or pea and bean mix)
8 slices unsmoked or smoked streaky bacon
1 large shallot or small brown onion
2 cloves garlic
100ml chicken or veg stock
35g unsalted butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
small bunch or basil and half again in mint
175g penne

• Put the penne on to cook in lots of salted water while you prepare the sauce. Peel and chop the shallot into fine rounds. Chop the bacon into similar sized lardons.
• Melt half the butter in a large frying pan or skillet then add the shallots and bacon and cook on a medium high heat until both the bacon and shallots have taken on some golden colour.
• Add the peeled and chopped garlic and stir for 30 seconds then add the frozen veg and the stock, stir then pop a lid on and cook for 5 minutes over a medium high heat.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Squeeze in a tbsp of lemon juice then test for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Chop the rest of the butter and add to the sauce then add the drained, cooked pasta and about 50ml of the pasta water. Stir then add the chopped mint and basil. Serve and grate with parmesan.