Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- ¼ lb pancetta, thickly sliced then diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced (I use a blend of shiitake and cremini)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 5 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 ½ cups grated parmiggiano
- 1 lb fusilli
Preparation
Step 1
The Flavor:
1- In a large sauté pan or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat and then add
the pancetta.
2- Fry the pancetta until it begins to brown, then add the garlic and leeks. Sauté
all until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 90 seconds, making sure not to allow the
garlic to burn.
3- Add the mushrooms and salt, and stir to combine. Sauté over medium-low heat
until the mixture becomes quite dry, about 7-10 minutes.
4- Remove from heat and toss with the rosemary and pepper. Set aside.
The Béchamel:
5- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When the butter
is melted, add the flour, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes until the mixture is
smooth and bubbling.
6- Slowly add the milk to the pan, whisking constantly and allow the mixture to
come to a boil. Reduce heat to a bare simmer.
7- Continue stirring the mixture until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a
spoon, about 7-9 minutes.
8- Strain the béchamel into a bowl and whisk in 1 cup of the parmiggiano.
Assembly:
9- Preheat the oven to 375F.
10- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions.
11- While the pasta is cooking, combine the mushroom mixture and the béchamel
in a mixing bowl that will be large enough to hold the pasta as well.
12- When the pasta is cooked, drain it very well. Once it is dry, add it to the
béchamel mixture.
13- Lightly grease a large baking dish and add the pasta mixture.
14- Top the pasta with the remaining parmiggiano and bake at 375F for about 35
minutes, until heated through and lightly browned on top.
15- Allow pasta to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.