Creamy Mushroom and Bacon Pasta

If you’re after a crowd pleaser to feed a family or a big bunch of mates, it’s very hard to go past a hearty pasta—and this is about as hearty as they come.

I originally discovered this recipe when I had leftover mushroom sauce from a steak dinner that I didn’t have the heart to throw away, so I added some bacon and stirred it through a pasta and accidentally found the best leftovers dish I have ever had. Since then I have adapted it to be a standalone dish and one of the biggest hits I have handed out at camp.

I’ve used a simple charcoal bed as a heat source. This is a great way of keeping your pots and pans clean (and your handles protected) while having a nice social heat source. I use either lump charcoal or recycled almond shell charcoal to give a nice clean and hot burn (I’m not a fan of briquettes). To get it going, just follow the instructions on the back of the bag, it takes about 10 minutes.

If you don’t have charcoal handy, try a nice hardwood like jarrah or iron bark and build up a good bed of coals using smaller timber (about 2–3cm in diameter), and wait until there is no flame to give a nice clean heat. It won’t last as well as charcoal but if it’s easily available in the bush near you it’s a good free source.

SERVES: 4-5, COOK TIME AROUND 20MIN

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup bacon (diced)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 of a white onion (diced)
• 4 cloves of garlic (diced or crushed)
• 2/3 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 18 oz packet of spaghetti
• 10 oz fresh cream
• 1/3 cup parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Put your pasta in boiling water with 2 generous pinches of salt.
2. Add butter to a hot pan and once it has melted, put in your onion and bacon. Stir for 2 minutes.
   
3. Add the garlic and mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms release their moisture and start to cook (around 6-8 minutes).
   
4. Once the mushrooms appear cooked, add the cream and a pinch of salt, then simmer for 5 minutes to reduce it all.
   
5. Drain the water from the pasta and stir through the other ingredients including the diced parsley.
   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harry Fisher is Fire to Fork’s resident campfire cook, photographer, writer, dish pig, lumberjack, mechanic, fire builder and enthusiastic (but hopeless) fisherman. For as long as he can remember, Harry has been outdoors—always choosing a million star view over a five star resort. Harry’s mission has been to make food that pairs well with the stunning locations he visits, so he has spent years developing recipes and techniques that anyone can use to eat better in the bush.

Follow Harry’s adventures at @firetofork