Recipes by Nici Wickes. Photography Todd Eyre
Serves 1 or 2
Nici says: This is a go-to dish for me when I’m craving a slow-cooked comfort dish but haven’t got much time. My fast ragù is full of deep delectable flavours and ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Say hello to cosy deliciousness!
Ingredients
100-130 grams dried pasta
(I use pappardelle but feel free to use spaghetti, penne, shells, etc.)
1 small onion, diced
2 rashers quality bacon, diced
2-3 large flat mushrooms
(or 6-8 brown button), thinly sliced
handful fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup white wine (optional) or extra pasta water
2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraîche
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch black pepper
small handful parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Method
- Add pasta to a pot of well-salted water on a rolling boil.
- Heat the oil in a pan and fry onion and bacon until onion is soft and bacon is browned.
- Add in sliced mushrooms and spinach and cook for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are cooked through.
- Pour in a large splash of wine or pasta water, and stir through the sour cream or crème fraÎche and seasoning.
- Simmer for 30 seconds.
- Scoop out about 1/3 cup more pasta water and add this to the pan to create a sauce, simmering for another 30 seconds or so.
- Drain pasta once cooked and add to the pan. Stir to coat in sauce.
- Serve ragù in bowls and sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan.
Note: If you lay a large wooden spoon over your pasta pot it will prevent it boiling over.
Recipe extracted with permission from A Quiet Kitchen by Nici Wickes. Photography by Todd Eyre. Published by David Bateman Ltd, $45.
