Carrot, rosemary and bacon pasta

Method

• Step 1
  Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, place a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Thinly slice bacon widthwise into strips. Add 2 teaspoons oil to the hot frying pan, then cook bacon, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towel. Reserve the pan.
• Step 2
  Meanwhile, finely chop onion and rosemary. Wash, then coarsely grate carrots. Heat the reserved pan with remaining 70ml oil over medium heat. Crush garlic into pan, then add onion and rosemary, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until mixture starts to soften. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until soft.
• Step 3
  Meanwhile, add pasta to the pan of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 125ml (1/2 cup) cooking liquid, and return to the pan. Season carrot mixture with salt and pepper, and add to pasta with bacon and reserved cooking liquid. Toss well to combine.
• Step 4
  Tear leaves from parsley, roughly chop and add to pasta. Crumble in ricotta and toss to combine. Crumble over blue cheese, if using, to serve.