High Protein Creamy Garlic Bucatini With Chestnut Mushrooms, Crispy Tempeh 'Pancetta' & Fresh Parsley

Before you start, take out all the ingredients for this recipe (see picture above) and rinse any raw grains, herbs or vegetables.

STEP 1

Boil your kettle and take out a large saucepan and two large frying pans. Fill the saucepan with boiling water, add salt, and place it over medium-high heat.

STEP 2

Add the bucatini pasta to the salted boiling water and cook until al dente, around 9–10 minutes. Reserve a mugful of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

STEP 3

In the meantime, dice the tempeh into small cubes, about 8 mm x 8 mm. Place a frying pan over high heat and add a generous glug of olive oil. Fry the tempeh cubes until golden and crispy on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tempeh ‘pancetta’ marinade and toss well to ensure all the tempeh is evenly coated and the marinade starts to char slightly, about 1 minute.

Alternatively, you can marinate the tempeh cubes in the tempeh ‘pancetta’ marinade with a drizzle of oil, then bake in the oven at 220°C / 200°C fan for 20 to 25 minutes, until crispy and charred at the edges.

STEP 4

Thinly slice the chestnut mushrooms. Place your second frying pan over medium-high heat and add a generous drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the mushrooms until both sides are golden and caramelised at the edges. Add the creamy mushroom sauce, lower the heat, and warm through until piping hot.

STEP 5

Pick the parsley leaves off the stems and chop them roughly.

STEP 6

To finish, add the bucatini to the simmering creamy mushroom sauce with the chestnut mushrooms and toss to coat. Use the reserved pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency until creamy. Divide the pasta between serving bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley leaves, and enjoy!