Mushroom pasta bake recipe

A few drops of soy sauce adds a delicious rich and savoury flavour to the mushrooms and creamy bechamel sauce in this tasty pasta bake.

Ingredients

For the

mushroom pasta bake:

• 1tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 250g portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 150ml white wine
• 3tbsp soy sauce (such as Kikkoman Soy Sauce)
• 60g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 20g breadcrumbs
• 3tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped for serving

For the

pasta:

• 300g farfalle pasta
• 1tbsp soy sauce

For the

bechamel sauce:

• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g plain flour
• 400ml milk
• 2tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F/Gas Mark 6.
2. In a medium frying pan, gently fry the onion along with the garlic and thyme in some oil for 3-4 mins over a medium heat, then remove from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan fry the mushrooms over a very high heat until golden, add the white wine and 2tbsp of soy sauce and reduce by half. Reduce the heat then return the onions to the pan and keep warm.
4. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in a large pan of boiling water along with 1tbsp soy sauce, then drain and set the pasta aside.
5. Meanwhile for the bechamel sauce: in a medium saucepan melt the butter over a medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 mins. Gradually pour in the milk and continue whisking until thickened and smooth. Season with 1tbsp soy sauce, mustard and a good twisting of black pepper.
6. Pour the sauce into the mushroom pan and combine with 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese and the cooked pasta.
7. Transfer the pasta into a baking dish and top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins, serve and garnish with some flat-leaf parsley.