Confetti Spaghetti

My boys always gobbled up their vegetables quick smart when I made this attractive, tasty spaghetti dish. Not everyday fare, as it is rather high in calories, but I have substituted low-fat evaporated milk very successfully for the thickened cream, and I can't see why you couldn't use low-fat sour cream in its place as well. This is adapted from a recipe which appeared in The Sunday Times years ago.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 4  slices lean bacon, finely sliced
• 4  spring onions, sliced
• 2  cloves garlic, crushed
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 2  cups  thickened  cream (or low-fat evaporated milk)
• 1⁄2 cup  grated parmesan cheese
• 1  ounce butter
• 1  leek, washed and thinly sliced
• 1  carrot, grated
• 1  zucchini, grated
• 1  red bell pepper, cut finely into strips
• 1  lb spaghetti

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti in plenty of salted water until ‘al dente’, drain and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet and saute the bacon, spring onions and garlic for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, cream and Parmesan cheese, heat gently until cheese has melted and the flavours have combined, and season with a pinch of salt if desired.
4. Keep sauce warm while continuing with the next stage.
5. Heat the butter in a large pan and saute the leek, carrot, zucchini and red bell pepper until just beginning to soften (I like a bit of crunch left).
6. Combine vegetable mixture with the hot spaghetti.
7. Serve with the bacon cream sauce poured over.