Pasta, Peas, and Bacon with Marinated Mozzarella Balls

Pasta and Peas is one of my favorite quick and easy dishes!

You can use whatever type of pasta you like and I often substitute peas with what in season vegetable I find, and/or what's in my garden.

 
Pasta and Peas is one of those versatile make it your own dishes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 8 minutes. Drain pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

Rinse pasta in hot water, drain again, toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add bacon and saute until crisp about 7 minutes, remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper napkin.

Reserve bacon grease, add chopped onion to bacon grease, saute 5 minutes, add seasonings to pan, garlic and parsley, cook 1 minute more.

Add peas to pan, saute for about 5 minutes, add pasta to pan, and 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, mix well and cook about 3 minutes to heat pasta.

Remove pan from heat, stir in drained mozzarella balls and bacon, toss well and serve immediately.

Grab a fork and enjoy!

Pasta, Peas, and Bacon with Marinated Mozzarella Balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb. Barilla linguine
1 pack bacon, thick cut, diced
12 ounces mozzarella balls, marinated
2 cups peas, frozen
1/2 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon creole seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 8 minutes. Drain pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Rinse pasta in hot water, drain again, toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add bacon and saute until crisp about 7 minutes, remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper napkin.

Reserve bacon grease, add chopped onion to bacon grease, saute 5 minutes, add seasonings to pan, garlic and parsley, cook 1 minute more.

Add peas to pan, saute for about 5 minutes, add pasta to pan, and 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, mix well and cook about 3 minutes to heat pasta.

Remove pan from heat, stir in drained mozzarella balls and bacon, toss well and serve immediately.