8 oz thick cut bacon, sliced into 1/4" wide pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cups, packed broccoli fleurettes, broken into smaller 1” pieces
1/2 each (appx 1 1/2 cup) onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 ½ cups chicken stock
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz bucatini pasta
1/2 cup Pecorino romano, ground, plus extra for finishing
1/4 cup chives, sliced
1/4 cup basil, rough chopped
fresh cracked pepper
kosher salt
Heat a large pot of boiling water.
Heat a grill pan or cast iron pan over medium high heat. Toss the broccoli with salt and pepper and half of the olive oil. Cook the fleurettes in the pan, turning only a couple of times so that they brown. When they are starting to become tender after about 6 minutes, remove and set aside until finishing.
In a large, straight sided pan or pot, heat the bacon along with the remaining olive oil over medium low heat, stirring often. After about 8 minutes when the bacon has rendered and is crispy, remove it from the pan, leaving behind the fat. Set the bacon aside until finishing.
Add the onion to the pan, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to become translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and begin to cook.
Add the chicken stock to the pan with the onions, and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and allow the pasta to finish.
When the pasta is 3/4 cooked, drain it and add it to the soup mixture. Simmer the liquid with the pasta, stirring with a large fork, until the liquid begins to thicken and coat the pasta about 4 minutes.
Add the broccoli and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and stir in the pecorino and herbs. Serve and garnish with a little extra pecorino.