An honest-to-goodness decadent and ultra-luxurious one-pot pasta dish. The sauce is made of crispy bacon, mushroom, and toasted garlic smothered in a rich and creamy sauce!
Place bacon in a high-rimmed pan. Turn on the heat then set it to medium. Cook and stir until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered. Scoop out some of the fat if preferred.
Add garlic. Cook until fragrant and lightly brown.
Add mushrooms, butter, and dried oregano. Cook until softened. It doesn't have to be fully cooked.
Pour chicken broth/stock and milk. Bring to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pan to bring in all the flavors from the bacon.
Reduce heat to medium then add pasta. Give it a quick stir then cover it with a lid. Cook until pasta is halfway done, around 9 to 10 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent them from sticking together.
Pour cream and continue cooking until pasta is al dente. The sauce will start to thicken as the pasta cooks. Taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat while still saucy. Sprinkle cheese, parsley, or scallions and toss gently. The sauce will reduce further. Serve immediately and sprinkle with more cheese.
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Notes
Bacon - use lean bacon or back bacon if you're worried about the calories.
Chicken broth/stock - or dissolve 1/2 piece chicken bouillon in hot water.
Pasta - this recipe works well with shell pasta, bow tie (farfalle) other tube pasta - rigatoni, or ziti, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine.
Cooking time - most dried pasta cooks for around 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes longer. The key to not overcooking is to do a taste test at the halfway mark based on the package direction.
If the liquid evaporates too quickly and the pasta is still not done, pour more hot water or hot milk–1/4 to 1/2 cup and continue cooking.