Baked Pappardelle With Pancetta And Porcini

Ingredients
500ml milk
20g dried porcini mushrooms
40g butter
25g plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g pappardelle
50g pancetta, cut into 2cm pieces
4-5 tbsp freshly grated parmesan


Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Warm the milk in a saucepan, add the porcini mushrooms, remove from the heat and soak for 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve suspended over a bowl, pressing lightly on the mushrooms with the back of ladle to extract all the milk.
3. Heat the butter in a clean saucepan, add the flour and stir over a low heat for 2-3 minutes without colouring the roux.
4. Pour in the porcini-flavoured milk all in one go and whisk together vigorously until smooth. Cook the sauce for a further 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
5. Bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander, tip into a roomy bowl and carefully stir in the sauce, porcini and pancetta until well combined.
6. Place the pasta into a lightly buttered oven-proof dish. Smooth the surface and cover with two tablespoons of the parmesan. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges and golden-brown.
7. Serve the dish piping hot at the dinner table and have extra cheese at the ready.

Posted in: Pasta