Step 1

Preheat your oven to 180ºC /350ºF (fan-forced).

Step 2

Bring a big pot of water to the boil to cook the pasta. Once it is boiling add the pasta and cook until al dente. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the pasta further cooking.

Step 3

Whilst the pasta is cooking, make your pesto.

Step 4

In a food processor, chop the garlic and grate the parmesan.

Step 5

Add the basil and spinach (or kale) and pulse until almost chopped.

Step 6

Now add the sunflower seeds. A couple more pulses should see it combined nicely.

Step 7

Season it well and stir in your lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside (but don’t rinse the food processor).

Step 8

Now add the eggs to the food processor with 3 heaped tablespoons of the pesto. Blend to combine.

Step 9

Once the pasta is cooked, line a 12 tray muffin tin with baking cups and divide the pasta between them.

Step 10

Pour over the egg mix to cover the pasta. Place a strip of bacon or ham on top and another blob of pesto.

Step 11

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the egg is set.

Step 12

Serve hot or cold.

Step 13

In an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Step 14

Re-heat in a low oven until just hot or serve at room temperature.

Step 15

This is a great recipe to use up any left over pasta (doesn’t have to be penne). If baking into muffin tins is too fiddly, then it can be made into a large slice and cut into pieces.  Extra pesto can be used on crackers or celery sticks for another snack.