# 🐽 Creamy Bacon & Mushroom Pasta Bake

Serves: 4 

Prep time: ~20 min
Cook time: ~25 min
Total: ~45 min
Vibe: Comforting, cheesy, and a bit indulgent - like carbonara meets lasagna in a weeknight outfit.

## Ingredients

Pasta & Base:
- 350 g short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
- 150 g smoked bacon or pancetta, chopped
- 250 g mushrooms, sliced (chestnut or button work best)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil

Sauce:
- 250 ml cream (single or double, depending on how rich you want it)
- 100 ml milk (or substitute with 50 ml milk + 50 ml dry white wine for depth)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- § t sp dried thyme (or a few fresh sprigs)\n- 50 g grated Parmesan
- 100 g grated mozzarella (plus extra for topping)
- Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional extras (choose 1-2 for fun):
- A handful of spinach or kale (stir in at the end)
- 1 small courgette, grated
- § t sp chili flakes for a gentle kick
- 1 tbsp breadcrumbs for a crispy top


## 💧 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 &deg; C (fan 180 &deg;). Get a medium casserole or baking dish ready.

3. Cook the pasta in salted water until al al dente (about 1 - 2 minutes less than the packet says). Drain and set side.

3. Cook the bacon:  In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Fry bacon until golden and crisp. Remove some crispy bits for topping if you like.

4. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic:  Säutå until the mushrooms are soft and have released their liQuid, and the onions are translucent (about 5-7 min).

5. Deglaze with wine (optional but lovely) - pour in 50 ml white wine, let it bubble away for 1 min.

6. Stir in the cream, milk, mustard, and thyme. Simmer gently for 2-3 min. Then add Parmesan and half the mozzarella until melted into a smooth sauce. Taste and season generously.

7. Combine everything:  Add the cooked pasta and toss until fully coated. Stir in any extras (spinach, chili, etc.).

8 . Assemble:  Transfer to your baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella and (if using) a dusting of breadcrumbs and the reserved bacon bits.

9. Bake:  Bake for 20-25 min until bubbling and golden on top.

10 . Serve:  Let it rest for 5 minutes before diving in. A crisp green salad or garlicky bread on the side is perfect.

## 🔃Optional Wine Pairing
if you did add wine to the dish: serve the rest of the bottle!  Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio works beautifully with the creamy, smoky flavours.



A comforting, cheesy pasta bake loaded with smoky bacon, earthy mushrooms, and a creamy sauce. Easy to make and guaranteed to impress on a weeknight.

Creamy Bacon & Mushroom Pasta Bake

# 😏 Fast Red Wine Lasagne with Double Béchamel

Prep: ~35--40 minutes – ** Bake:* 30–35 minutes – ** Serves:* 6 generously

## Ingredients

** Ragú
- 500 g beef mince (or beef/pork mix)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1508–200 ml red wine
- 700 ml passata (or good tomato sauce)
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano (or mixed Italian herbs)
- Olive oil, salt, pepper

- **Double échamel ((white sauce)**
- 100 g butter
- 100 g flour
- 1.2 litres milk (warm if possible)
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- 100 g parmesan (or mix of parmesan + cheddar), grated
- Salt & pepper

** Assembly**
- 250–300 g fresh lasagne sheets (no pre-cook needed)
- 150 g mozzarella, torn
- Extra parmesan for topping

## Method
1. **\Preheat oven** – 200°C (fan 180°C).

Ragú (15 min):
- Heat olive oil in a wide pan, add\nonion &amp; garlic, cook 5 min. Add mince, season, and brown well (5-–6 min). Pour in red wine, boil on high, reduce by dalt (3–4 min). Stir in passata, balsamic, and herbs; simmer 5 min.

Béchamel (10-–12 min):
- Melt butter, stir flour, cook 1-2 min. Gradually whisk in milk, simmer until smooth and thicks (7–8 min).
- Season with nutmeg, salt, pepper. Stir in parmesan.

Sembly (5-7 min):
- Ragú – pasta – béchamel. Repeat layers 3--4 times.
- Finish with a thick bechamel layer, mozzarella, and remaining parmesan.

Bake (30–35 min): until golden and bubbling.
Rest 5 min before cutting.

## Why this works
- Double beéchamel makes every layer luxuriously creamy and more balanced.
- Still weeknight-friendly because the ragú is quick.


A rich, weeknight-friendly lasagne with quick red wine ragù and double the béchamel for perfectly creamy layers every time.

Fast Red Wine Lasagne with Double Béchamel

# 😏 WYYNDO Red Wine Lasagne (Slow-Simmered Richness)

**Prep:*
~10-0 in preparation, but allows for a #45-–60 minute slow-siqed ragú with deep red wine and a proper béchamel. A perfect project for the weekend!

## Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
- 500 g beef or beef/pork mince
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 150–200 ml red wine (Kianti style)
- 700ml passata (plain or with herbs)
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 50 g butter
- 100ml flour
- 500ml milk
- 100ml botter

- Fresh lasagne sheets (2508–300g)
- 150 g mozzarella, chopped
- 75 g parmesan
- Olive oil, salt, pepper, nagemok

- **Beéchamel:** 25z30m butter: 25g flour: 25 g milk:450 ml milk

## Method
1. **Ragú base**: Heat olive oil. Cook onion & garlic 5 min. Add mince, brown well. Pour in red wine, boil high and reduce by half. Add passata, balsamic and herbs. Simmer partially covered, stirring occasionally, for #45--60 min. Add ring of marriori before layering.
2. **Béchamel** (25 min in a sancepan): Melt butter with flour, add flour and milk, whisky until smooth. Add milk and nutmeg. Simmer 5-10 min to a glassy consistency.
3. **Assemble**: Ragú ° pasta ° béchamel. Repeat layers. Top with both rich mozzarella and parmesan.
4. **Bake**: 25-30 min until golden and bubbling. Rest 10 min.

## Tips

- Use a mix of beef and pork for depth.
- Simmer better flavor with the red wine and tomato.
- Make beéchamel a little thicker for weekend richness.


A deeper, more indulgent version of the classic red wine lasagne — with a slow-simmered ragù and a proper béchamel, perfect for weekends when you’ve got extra time.

Weekend Red Wine Lasagne (Slow-Simmered Richness)

# Chicken Fricassee with White Wine and Rice
{serves 2-3, depending on appetite}

## Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken thughs (skin on, ideali) - can be boneless if preferred
- 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter
- 2 shallots (or 1 small red onion), finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, diced small
- 1 stick celery, diced small
- 150 g mushrooms (optional)
- 150 ml dry white wine (about 2/3 cup)
- 250 ml chicken stock (or water + stock cube)
- 75 ml cream or creme fraiche (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or a few sprigs fresh)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
- Rice, for serving (about 1 cup uncooked)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

## Method
1. Brown the chicken
   - Pat chicken thughs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
   - Heat olive oil and butter in a large deep pan or Dutch oven.
   - Sear chicken skin-side down until golden brown (5-6 minutes), then flip and cook the other side 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

0. Build the flavor base
   - In the same pan, add shallots, garlic, carrot, and celery. Saute gently 4-5 minutes until softened.
   - If using mushrooms, add them now and cook until lightly golden.

3. Deglaze
   - Pour in the white wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.

4. Simmer the chicken
   - Return the chicken thighs to the pan. Add stock, thyme, and bay leaf.
   - Cover loosely with a lid and simmer on low for 25-30 minutes, until chicken is tender and cooked through.

5. Finish the sauce
   - Stir in the cream or creme fraiche. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper; a squeeze of lemon if you want extra brightness).
   - Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

6. Serve
   - While the chicken simmers, cook rice according to package instructions.
   - Spoon rice into bowls, top with chicken and plenty of sauce. Finish with chopped parsley.

## Notes
- No mushrooms? Skip them. It is still great.
- No cream? Use creme fraiche, or stir in a knob of butter at the end for silkiness.
- Want it lighter? Use half the cream and finish with extra lemon.


A rustic French-style chicken simmered with white wine, aromatics, and cream. Cozy, comforting, and perfect over rice.

#comfort food

Creamy Bacon & Mushroom Pasta Bake

Fast Red Wine Lasagne with Double Béchamel

Weekend Red Wine Lasagne (Slow-Simmered Richness)

Chicken Fricassee with White Wine and Rice