Sundried Tomato & Herbed Garlic Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Moving into a new house for the first time is daunting. In my first two months, I have lost my keys, gotten locked inside my own bedroom (faulty lock), had 3 power trips, locked my car and house keys in my car, watched scary movies I probably shouldn't have... but the one thing I've had so much fun doing is cooking my own meals! Granted, I've also had a very busy period at work, which means I haven't really had time for home cooked meals but when I have had the chance, I've been trying out quite a few different recipes. 

I tried a really great pasta dish in the past few weeks, as part of a meal I cooked for Le Boyfriend's 30th birthday dinner. It's so easy, so delicious, and I've been craving it ever since! It's one of those dishes you can whip up for a weeknight dinner, without having to stop at the grocery shop for ingredients (if you don't want to). Without further ado... 

Sun-dried Tomato Spaghettini

Serves 2

• 2 servings worth of spaghettini (made fresh or from instant), cooked al dente
• 4-5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup sliced streaky beef strips (or bacon for those who can)
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to season
• A handful (or more if you want a salad) of fresh rocket leaves
• Grated parmesan 

1. Boil the pasta as per instructions, remove from heat, strain and pour some cold water over it to keep it from cooking any further; set aside
2. In a medium/large saute pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, lower the flame and toss in the garlic, sundried tomatoes, streaky beef strips, paprika, chili flakes and thyme. Allow the flavours to infuse into the oil until the garlic reaches a beautiful shade of brown without getting burnt and crispy. 
3. Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat in the oil and goodness in the pan. Season to taste and remove to a large bowl to stir in the fresh rocket and grated parmesan
4. Serve hot and enjoy :) 

This can be a meal on it's own (large portion), or a smaller meal (around 60-70g per serving) to accompany a protein and some veg (for R's birthday dinner, I served it with garlic roasted asparagus and thyme grilled lamb cutlets). I'll share the recipes for those dishes soon (wait til I try them again and get some pictures before they go).