Creamy Bacon
Mushroom Spaghetti
Master the art of a silky, homemade white sauce in this quick, gourmet-style creamy bacon and mushroom pasta. Perfectly comforting for any lunch or dinner.
Creating a velvety white sauce from scratch is a foundational skill that elevates simple home cooking into a gourmet experience. This recipe combines the smoky richness of bacon with the earthy depth of mushrooms, all tied together in an aromatic, whiskey-infused cream sauce. It is a satisfying dish that proves restaurant-quality pasta can be achieved in your own kitchen with just a few mindful steps.
Ingredients
- 20 g low-protein flour
- 30 g butter
- 300 g warm milk
- 20 g heavy cream
- 1 g white pepper
- 3 g salt
- 30 g cooking oil
- 15 g garlic
- 30 g onion
- 3 strips bacon
- 30 g mushrooms
- 15 ml whiskey
- 100 g pasta water
- 100 g spaghetti
- to taste black pepper
- to taste fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1Toast the flour
Add 20 grams of low-protein flour to a stainless steel saucepan. Stir-fry the flour over low heat until it becomes fragrant. This technique helps develop a nutty aroma and serves as the base for your creamy sauce.
Tip: Be careful to stir constantly over low heat to prevent the flour from burning, which would result in a bitter taste. - 2Incorporate butter
Once the flour is toasted and fragrant, add 30 grams of butter to the saucepan. Whisk continuously until the butter is completely melted and evenly mixed with the flour to form a smooth paste, or roux.
Tip: Ensure the butter is fully incorporated before adding liquids to achieve a smooth, lump-free sauce. - 3Add warm milk
Slowly pour 300 grams of warm milk into the roux while whisking vigorously. It is crucial to use warm milk rather than cold to prevent the formation of lumps and ensure a velvety texture.
Tip: Adding the liquid in a slow, steady stream while whisking is the best way to maintain a smooth consistency. - 4Season the sauce
Add 20 grams of heavy cream, 1 gram of white pepper, and 3 grams of salt to the saucepan. Continue to cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and leaves a trail on the surface.
Tip: The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon smoothly without being too thick or runny. - 5Finish the white sauce
Continue to cook the mixture over low heat until the sauce reaches a perfectly smooth, creamy consistency. Once it reaches the desired thickness, turn off the heat and set the sauce aside for your pasta.
Tip: If the sauce becomes too thick, you can whisk in a tiny splash of warm milk to adjust the consistency. - 6Sauté aromatics
Heat 30 grams of cooking oil in a frying pan. Add 15 grams of garlic and 30 grams of onion, sautéing over medium-low heat until they are fragrant and lightly golden.
Tip: Cooking the garlic and onions slowly allows their flavors to infuse the oil fully without burning. - 7Add the bacon
Add 3 strips of bacon to the pan with the sautéed onions and garlic. Fry the bacon until it becomes aromatic and releases its flavorful oils into the pan.
Tip: Keep the heat at medium-low to prevent the garlic and onions from burning while the bacon cooks. - 8Add mushrooms
Add 30 grams of sliced button mushrooms to the pan with the bacon. Let the mushrooms cook in the bacon juices until they soften.
Tip: Allowing the mushrooms to cook in the bacon fat will significantly deepen their flavor. - 9Deglaze with whiskey
Pour 15ml of whiskey into the pan. This process helps to deglaze the pan and adds a complex depth of flavor to the bacon and mushroom mixture.
Tip: Be careful when adding alcohol to a hot pan; pour slowly and keep your face away from the steam. - 10Add white sauce
Add 3 spoonfuls of the prepared creamy white sauce to the pan. Stir everything together until the sauce emulsifies with the bacon and mushroom juices.
Tip: If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little bit of pasta water to loosen the consistency. - 11Add the pasta
Add the cooked spaghetti noodles into the pan. Let the pasta simmer briefly in the creamy sauce so it absorbs the flavors.
Tip: Ensure the pasta is al dente so it maintains its texture while finishing in the sauce. - 12Emulsify and Coat
Add the cooked spaghetti into the pan with the aromatic bacon and mushroom base. Pour in the prepared white sauce and a splash of pasta water, then toss everything thoroughly with a spatula until the pasta is perfectly coated in the creamy, emulsified sauce.
Tip: If the sauce looks too thick, add a little more pasta water to loosen it up.
