Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Pasta and Jason's Hill Chenin Blanc
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 300–400g pasta (fettuccine, penne, or spaghetti)
- 200g streaky bacon, chopped
- 250g mushrooms, sliced (button or portobellini work beautifully)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 250ml fresh cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or fresh if you have)
- Optional: a splash of white wine (±¼ cup)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Method
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Crisp the bacon: In a large pan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pan for extra flavour.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add olive oil or butter to the same pan if needed. Fry the onion until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Cook the mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until golden and softened. Let them get a bit of colour — that’s where the flavour builds.
- Deglaze (optional but recommended)
- Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Make it creamy
- Lower the heat and stir in the cream. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Let it gently simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Bring it together
- Add the cooked pasta and crispy bacon back into the pan. Toss everything together. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Finish with cheese
- Stir in the Parmesan until melted and silky.
Serve: Plate up and finish with extra Parmesan, fresh parsley, and a crack of black pepper.