LEEK, LARDON & GARLIC MUSHROOM PASTA

I have lots of recipes at home that my elder daughter Arabella will hate as they include mushrooms, aubergines or courgettes - her three worst vegetables. I respect the fact she doesn't like these ingredients however if she then announces she dislikes something else, I tell her she is only allowed three items on her list so she has to swap one - this usually means that she will eat the offending item!! Anyway as she was away last weekend, I decided to cook this mushroom pasta dish for my husband and I. It is a simple waitrose recipe that took around 20 minutes.

Ingredients for 4 people:

300g fresh pasta - any shape
250g mushrooms, sliced
500g leeks, sliced
250g lardons
A large knob of butter
2 tbsp of grated Parmesan
150g mascarpone
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp of chives, chopped

Heat half the butter in a large frying pan and fry the leeks for 5 minutes until softened.

In another frying pan, fry the lardons for around 10 minutes until cooked.

When they are both ready, tip into a large bowl.

In the same frying pan that you used for the leeks, add the remaining butter and then fry the garlic and mushrooms for around 7 minutes.

Once they are ready add to the bowl of leeks and lardons and then stir in the mascarpone, the chives and the cheese.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the packet's instructions. Mine took around four minutes.

Drain the pasta and toss with the mushroom, leek and lardon mix.

Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan and enjoy.

Every time I have leeks I am reminded of how much I love them and once again they didn't disappoint. This is very warming and wintery - perfect for this time of year - a great quick midweek supper, if you like mushrooms that is!

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