Delicious, quick and a great way to sneak greens into your diet. The olives and bacon add extra flavour to the sauce. This easy pasta bake can be made ahead or sliced and frozen.

Delicious pasta bake is warm comfort food
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 12 slices
Ingredients
400 g spiral pasta (gluten free if required)
Salted water, boiled (reserve 1/4 cup pasta water)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (exclude if low FODMAP)
1 onion, diced (exclude if low FODMAP)
4 rashes of bacon, rind removed and diced
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
400 g tin tomatoes
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 red capsicum, sliced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (gluten free if required)
250 g baby spinach
Salt and pepper
250 g grated cheese (lactose free if required)
Method
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
While the pasta is cooking, sauté the garlic and onion in oil in a frypan for 2 - 3 minutes.
Add the bacon and fry until caramelised.
Add the chicken and cook until white on the outside.
Add the tomatoes, capsicum, oregano, basil, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, olives, salt and pepper to taste and stir. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves, add the spinach and stir until just wilted.
Add the pasta and reserved pasta water to the sauce. Stir to combine, then transfer to a baking dish.

Evenly coat the pasta with the sauce
Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Serve with a garden salad.

The melted cheese top is delicious
Tips
Prepare ahead and place in the fridge until ready to bake.
individual portions can be frozen.
For more of my recipes visit
Naomi's recipes
Categories
#Chicken
#Olives
#Tomatoes#Spinach
#Pasta
#Family
#Italian
#Dinner
#Healthy
#Easy
#Make ahead
#Gluten free
#Lactose free
#Low FODMAP