Wagon Wheel Pasta With Ricotta Cheese, Bacon, And Peas

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 16 ounces wagon wheel macaroni
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400°f
• 2 bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• 3 boil pasta, uncovered, for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
• 4 remove from heat, drain the pasta, and then return the pasta to the pot.
• 5 meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet.
• 6 add the onion and sauté until soft and lightly brown, about 3 minutes; remove from heat, and add the onion to the pasta.
• 7 cook bacon strips in the same skillet until crisp, set on a paper towel to drain.
• 8 once cool, crumble into small pieces, and add to the pasta.
• 9 add the chicken broth, peas, ricotta cheese, egg, basil, parsley, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to the pasta, and stir to combine.
• 10 transfer pasta to a 7x11 casserole dish.
• 11 sprinkle fontina cheese and bread crumbs on top and bake in oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread crumbs have turned a golden brown.