Cheesy Pasta with Bacon and Shrooms

Cheesy Pasta with Bacon and Shrooms

A yummy pasta dish to keep you going through the winter months!

The baby broad beans bulk out the meal, so to make the meal vegetarian, you wouldn’t need to substitute the bacon with anything else.

Taste: Simplicity: Cost:

Recipe by Martyn Potts

Tested by Abi Pearce

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 100g frozen diced onion or 1 small, diced onion
• 1 red chilli sliced (or one teaspoon of chilli flakes)
• 100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 75g frozen baby broad beans (thawed with boiling water)
• 4 rashers of streaky bacon, diced (3 rashers if using thick-cut back bacon)
• Garlic powder and dried oregano to taste (add paprika for an extra kick)
• 250g of short pasta like fusilli

For the Cheese Sauce

• 60g butter
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 120g cheese - Monterey Jack or Edam (or your favourite)
• 1/2 teaspoon of English mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pint semi-skimmed milk

Method

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and chilli until soft. Then add the bacon and fry for a few minutes.
2. Sprinkle the garlic powder, oregano and paprika (if using) into the pan and then add the mushrooms.
3. Add the broad beans and turn down the heat. Continue to cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the pasta and sauce. The mixture will start to caramelise.
4. Put the pasta on to cook (see Cooking Basics: PastaLink opens in a new window).
5. If you've never made a cheese sauce before, see our Cheese Sauce YouTube videoLink opens in a new window before continuing!
6. In a separate pan, melt the butter and add a tablespoon of flour. Cook off the flour for about 1 minute to form a roux.
7. Remove the roux from the heat and gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.
8. Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until it thickens, stirring all the time.
9. Turn down the heat and add the cheese, black pepper and mustard.
10. Drain pasta and add to the cheese sauce along with the bacon, broad bean and mushrooms. Stir everything and serve.
11. Sprinkle extra cheese on top for added flavour!

If you're freezing a portion, make sure the pasta has fully cooled before placing it in the freezer in a Tupperware container.