Goats Cheese, Pea & Chicory Pasta

For fear of alienating (and turning the stomachs of) any vegetarian audience I might have, I thought it best to blog this pasta dish I made. After many meaty meals I craved something light, fresh, and healthy. All slapped on top of pasta. That's healthy, right?

Chicory is an ingredient I never liked as a child. It looks pretty, all tightly folded up around itself, but it is a little bitter which is a touch off-putting for children. However, I love bitter food now and so chicory has made an appearance many a time on my table.

Cooking it makes it a touch sweeter, especially if you griddle it. In this case, I just sliced it and lightly fried it. It worked really well with the goats cheese (blue cheese would also be great) and the sweetness of the peas balanced it nicely. A bit of pancetta wouldn't have gone amiss...

Goats Cheese, Pea & Chicory Pasta

Serves 1

100gr spaghetti
1 spring onion
A handful of frozen peas
1 small head of chicory
3 sundried tomatoes in oil
A wodge of goats cheese (or blue cheese)
2 tbsp double cream
2 cloves garlic
A few basil leaves

Place the pasta on to cook. Place the peas in a bowl and add boiling water. Mince the garlic and fry in a little oil until softened. Add the sliced whites of the spring onion. Roughly chop the chicory, and add to the pan. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then add the sun dried tomatoes chopped roughly. Turn to a low heat and stir in the cheese and the cream. Drain the peas and add to the sauce. Take off the heat and put the lid on. When the pasta has cooked, drain it thoroughly and then add to the saucepan, tossing it well. Garnish with the basil, the sliced greens of the spring onion and plenty of black pepper.