Pasta with a Bacon and Cheese Sauce

Monday 7/1/2013

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Diary and Notes

Today was my first day back teaching after the Christmas break and I was feeling rather depressed.

Toni was at home with all three of the little beasties as Isis doesn’t go back to school until tomorrow and Eve doesn’t start her new nursery until next week. I’m not sure who got the short straw today but this three kids under 5 thingy is very hard on one’s morale.

So it was work, work, work, then a very slow bus ride home due to traffic jams caused by Manchester Metropolitan University’s new building site in Hulme closing off a major artery out of the city for the whole of this year. Also, United Utilities had closed off half of the other route out to do water repairs. The ride was very slow indeed and my belly was rumbling. When I got home Toni had already got a big pan of water boiling, the oven was hot and she was chopping bacon into little lardons. What a trooper.

Time for that great superhero - Jonny Speedcook (one of my many alter egos) to do his thing. I ran upstairs so no one could see me change into my superhero costume (some jogging pants and a dirty t-shirt) then swooped down the stairs – swift as a swift and as graceful as a swan, before putting on my apron and getting to work.

Chop! Some evil mushrooms met their end.

Smash! Cloves of garlic were crushed below my might blade.

Slice! A baguette succumbed to my kitchen ninja skills.

I had arrived home at 5.45 on the dot. By 6.10 we were all sitting at the table, forks in hand and ready for the feasting. No cheating, everything home cooked. If Toni hadn’t put the water on it might have taken another 5 minutes but either way, Jonny Speedcook is one hell of a superhero.

Menu

Garlic Baguette

Ingredients*

Casarecci with A Bacon & Cheese Sauce
250g (9 oz) Casarecci (or other) pasta
1 Clove Garlic
4 Rashers Bacon
4 Mushrooms
Olive Oil
50g (2oz) Cheddar Cheese
2 Eggs
25 ml (2 fl oz) Cream
75 ml (6 fl oz) Milk
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Black Pepper Flat Leaf Parsley
Parmesan Cheese

Garlic Baguette
1 Baguette
2 cloves Garlic
60g (2 oz) Butter
Flat Leaf Parsley
Pepper

Preparation

Put the pasta in the boiling water (a lot of water).

While the pasta is cooking, chop the bacon and mushrooms and mince all the garlic. Put a little olive oil in a bit pan and fry the bacon for a minute, add the cayenne pepper, mushrooms and 2/3 of the garlic and leave to sweat for a bit.

Meanwhile slice the baguette and chop the some parsley. Put a bit of parsley to one side for the pasta, with the rest mix with the butter, the rest of the garlic and some pepper and smear over the sliced baguette. Roll in foil and place in the oven (will be cooked in 12 mins - then get out to cool a little, so as not to burn the little kiddies’ mouths).

Grate the cheese and put in a jug with the cream, eggs, milk, nutmeg, parsley and pepper. Mix together to make a sort of custard.

When the pasta is almost cooked (a little underdone) drain and stir into the bacon mixture and cook for another minute. Keep stirring to get it all mixed up. Add the cheesy mix and stir again. Put the lid on the pan and leave to stand for 1 minute. Give it a stir and if it’s too thick add a drop more milk.

Serve and grate over some Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Today’s Ratings:

Isis: Yum - didn't eat much though.
Eve: Yum - ate loads.
Olias: Yum.

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*All quantities are very approximate and for a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids aged 4 years, 3 years & 6 months)

JCBorresen@GMail.com