Golden Cherry Tomato, Spring Onion, Rucola and Bacon Fettucine

Golden Cherry Tomato, Spring Onion, Rucola and Bacon Fettucine

It's official:  Spring has arrived.  Yes, I know that the Vernal Equinox happened weeks ago, but the calendar date has nothing to do with Spring in this part of the world.  But finally.

Finally - the snow has given way to the rain and crocuses and daffodils are popping there bright heads up to brighten an otherwise gray landscape.  Finally - the ice has given up its grip on the sea, and the waves are once again lapping up against the shoreline.  Finally - the temperatures are consistently on the plus side of things, and I've ditched all of my winter jackets, gloves, hats and sweaters to storage to make way for a new season of lighter, brighter outfits.

Spring flowers in Rauma

The days are getting longer, yes, and that means the food options are slowly beginning to increase:  Spring onions have found their way to grocery store shelves.  Cherry tomatoes, tasteless through the winter, are now coming back into full flavor, slowly but surely.  I saw the first market stand yesterday in the railway station - selling fresh strawberries from Italy and fresh peas from Spain, and though I have no intention of buying either at the moment, I couldn't help but smile at another symbol that Winter has passed.

You'd think we'd have more time to cook as the days get longer - but no.  Our lives are busier than ever, and between work and working out, spending time with friends & family and keeping up with our hobbies, food often gets shifted into a tiny place in time where we want something amazing to eat, but our cupboards are as empty as our minds at the end of a long day, and we stumble home, hoping for a way to get something quick and easy on the table.

Daffodils spanning the river in Turku - before the ice met its demise
This is a dinner for just such a night.  Easy to make.  Looks like Spring on a plate.

Here's how:  Stop by your local grocer.  Grab a package of fresh fettucine, a container of golden cherry tomatoes, a bundle of green onions, a bunch of rucola and a small package of bacon.  If you don't have these staples already:  add garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper to your cart.

Drop your bags by the front door, kick your shoes off, wash your hands and get a pot of water boiling for the pasta.  Heat a frying pan over medium heat and as it warms up, begin.  This ought to take about 10-15 minutes from start to finish, depending on how fast you can chop.  Recipe is easily doubled if you are serving more guests.


 Golden Cherry Tomato, Spring Onion, Bacon and Rucola Fettucine

300g fresh Fettucine
6 tablespoons olive oil

3 spring onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 slices bacon, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional:  use Lemon Maldon Salt)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 oz of fresh parmesan, grated
2 small handfuls of rucola, washed and dried


1.  Bring a pot of water to boil.

2.  Heat a frying pan over medium heat.  Pour in the olive oil and allow the oil to heat for about 30 seconds.  Add the spring onions, garlic, and bacon.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic and onions are tender and the bacon is cooked through, about 2 minutes.

3.  While the onion mixture cooks, give your cherry tomatoes a quick rinse and cut each one in half.  Add these to the pan and give it a quick stir. Add the salt and pepper and stir briefly to combine.

4. Once the tomatoes are in the pan, put the fettucine into the boiling water and set the timer for 5 minutes.  When the timer beeps, quickly drain the water from the pasta and remove the frying pan with the onion mixture from the heat.

5.  Pour the pasta into the frying pan and toss with a spoon to combine all ingredients.  Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the mixture and toss again.  Divide the pasta onto two places and top each with a small handful of rucola.  Serve.

Serves 2 hungry people generously.



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