Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest – ALAN PARTRIDGE

There is no one better than Alan Partridge to join me for this.

 At the famous lunch with Tony Hayers at the start of I'm Alan Partridge, when he pitches his ideas for a new TV show, including “Monkey Tennis”, Alan orders a pasta meal and, not knowing the name of farfalle, asks for ‘action man bow ties’. Later, he steals the cheese from the restaurant before running out.

This meal uses farfalle and cheese in his honour. 

CHEESY BOW TIES

Ingredients

250g dried farfalle

180g ‘Philadelphia’ or similar soft cheese

100g grated cheddar

1 onion, chopped

150g mushrooms, finely sliced

Salt and black pepper

4 slices vegetarian bacon-style rashers, defrosted if frozen

1tbsp olive oil

40g butter

100ml milk

Serves 2 as a main meal or up to 4 as a snack

Method

Heat salted water in a saucepan and cook pasta according to packet instructions.

Heat oil and butter in a large pan.

Fry onions gently until soft, then add mushrooms and fry until soft and just beginning to brown.

In a separate pan, fry the ‘bacon’ until crisp. Cut into postage stamp size pieces. 

Then mix in with mushroom mixture.

Spoon all the soft cheese into pan and add a little milk to soften.

Mix in the cheese and season.

Drain the pasta. Add it to the cheese sauce, stirring it through until completely covered.

Serve in small bowls as a snack or on a larger plate as a main meal.