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Baked Cheesy Bacon & Chanterelle Pasta

Decadent cheesy pasta with chanterelle mushrooms and bacon.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 686 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 cups uncooked pasta shells
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded old white cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces gruyere cheese
  • grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling over the top
  • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped chanterelle mushrooms
  • 6 slices bacon chopped
  • fresh chives to garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cook the 3 cups of pasta shells until they are just firm, one step past al dente, but not overcooked. When you are baking pasta in the oven you want to give yourself some cooking leeway, otherwise they will end up a mushy mess. A tasty one, but texture wise it won't be that appetizing. 
  2. Once the shells are cooked, drain the water and place the pasta into the baking dish. 
  3. Chop your bacon up into small pieces and fry up quickly to your desired texture. I prefer my bacon about half-cooked when it's going into another dish, nothing is worse than chewy raw-hide textured bacon in a smooth, creamy pasta dish. I cook it until most of the fat is gone but it's still soft. Once that is done, drain the fat and set it aside.
  4. Take your chanterelle mushrooms, chop them up coarsely and fry them in a small amount of butter over medium-low heat in a frying pan until most of their water content has been shed. Set aside.
  5. Time to make your cheese sauce, which is the base of any white sauce out there, your basic roux. Start with your butter in a pot, and heat it till its melted. 
  6. Mix in the flour until it's a gluey mixture. Doesn't that sound yummy! The secret to a white sauce is patience. 
  7. Start by adding in a tiny amount of the milk. Mix it in thoroughly. Add in the rest of the milk, little by little, stirring to avoid lumps from forming. 
  8. Once you have the milk all added, with no flour lumps we hope, add in the cream. 
  9. Heat the mixture, stirring to avoid scorching the milk and add in your cheese. Let the mixture thicken up and the cheese melt. 
  10. Add in your salt and pepper. 
  11. Toss the bacon and chanterelles into the cheese sauce, combine then pour over the pasta shells in your baking dish. Stir to cover the pasta completely then place the lid on top. 
  12. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until the pasta is heated all the way through and the cheese sauce baked.
  13. Garnish with your freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chives.

Nutrition Information

Calories 686kcal (34%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 43g (66%) Saturated Fat 24g (120%) Cholesterol 125mg (42%) Sodium 735mg (31%) Potassium 338mg (10%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 1140IU (23%) Calcium 569mg (57%) Iron 1.5mg (8%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 686

% Daily Value*

Calories 686kcal 34%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 43g 66%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Cholesterol 125mg 42%
Sodium 735mg 31%
Potassium 338mg 7%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 1140IU 23%
Calcium 569mg 57%
Iron 1.5mg 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.