This is one of those Italian classics that never fails to deliver. The spinach and basil combine wonderfully with the roasted pine nuts and crunchy bacon bits, but the key to this pasta lies in the addition of a glorious amount of fluffy grated Pecorino cheese. 

Ingredients (for 2):

200 g spaghetti

300 g fresh spinach leaves

4 thin streaky bacon slices

2 handfuls of fresh basil leaves

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

black pepper

40 g pine nuts

Pecorino Romano

• Boil the spaghetti according to instructions in a large pot of boiling salted water.
• Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, fry the bacon rashers until they are brown and crispy. Transfer them to a chopping board and chop finely.
• add the garlic to the hot bacon fat, and, working in batches add three-quarters of the spinach and basil to the pan, tossing it around to mix with the garlic.

• When all the leaves have wilted, add the bacon pieces and plenty of black pepper.
• Drain the spaghetti and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Add the spinach mixture and the reserved spinach and basil leaves and stir well to combine.
• Add pine nuts and top off with a generous amount of grated pecorino cheese.