Quick Summery Pasta with mushrooms, olives and anchovies

 You know the feeling, when you are engrossed in something and look up only to see that the time has flown by, it is quarter to five and dinner is usually on the table at five o clock sharp (give or take) if you want to have the kids in bed on time to have any semblance of an evening to yourself. When you find yourself in that same situation, this is the dinner for you! It can be on the table in around 20 minutes flat and tastes delicious. Of course, this is not only a dinner to be slapped up in a rush, it would work equally well cooked up for a longer, more languorous lunch or dinner coupled with warm garlic bread to soak up the juices and a glass or two of red, on those long, balmy summer evenings. Need I tempt you any more?

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Red Onion sliced

250g Chestnut Mushrooms

Handful of Olives - whichever you have will work, even the stuffed ones will add more flavour.

5 Anchovies (From a tin, in oil. You can freeze the rest or keep in the fridge in an airtight container ensuring they are submerged in the oil for a couple more days)

4 Thick rashers of Bacon diced (or Pancetta)

Oregano (About 4 stalks worth of leaves chopped, fresh if you have it or a pinch of dried)

1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes

2 Cloves Garlic crushed

2 tbsp Olive Oil

250g Pasta (Spaghetti works best, but I used Penne as the children find it easier to handle, the choice is yours)

How to:

1.  Put the pasta on to boil as per packet instructions.

2. Heat the oil then saute the onions, bacon and mushroom until soft, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, olives and anchovies and heat through. Break up the anchovies with a wooden spoon as you do so although they will melt down as they cook. Do this for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the tinned tomatoes and the oregano and reduce down until you have a thick sauce.

5. Drain the pasta reserving some of the starchy water. return it to the pan along with the tomatoey sauce and give it all a good mix up. Add a little of the water if it seems a bit dry.

6. I take it to the table with a large ladle and let everyone tuck in. This was a great success with the girls with little E calling out for 'more peese mummy' twice, no less once her bowl was empty!