Pasta bake with bacon, leek and cream Recipe
This bake is for fans of pasta in a creamy sauce, but with a Polish twist in the form of bacon and leek. The flavours are a bit like carbonara, only baked with cheese and sweet, delicate leek. It’s ideal for colder days when you need something really filling after work.
This bake combines the feel of Italian carbonara with the very homely duo of bacon and leek, which often ends up in Polish soups. The creamy cream-and-egg sauce coats the pasta, while the baked cheese forms a crispy, golden crust on top. It’s typical Polish-style comfort food – simple ingredients, but the result feels like something from a small bistro.
Chef's tips
Cook the pasta really al dente, because it will continue to cook in the oven – if you overdo it, the whole bake will turn too soft and dense. Fry the bacon patiently over medium heat until it renders and browns nicely; that way it adds lots of flavour without needing extra fat. Before taking the dish out of the oven, gently shake it – if the centre still “wobbles”, give it a few more minutes so the egg mixture sets properly.
How to serve
Serve with a simple salad of rocket or mixed leaves with a sharp dressing to cut through the richness of the bacon and cream. To drink, a pale beer or a glass of dry white wine works well, but a mug of hot tea is just as good after a late, cold commute home. This dish is perfect for movie nights when you want to feed several people from one big dish straight from the oven.
Ingredients
- pasta fusilli, tubes or penne - 300 g
- bacon smoked, diced or in strips - 150 g
- leek white and light green part - 1 piece
- cream 30% or 18% - 200 ml
- milk - 100 ml
- egg - 2 piece
- yellow cheese grated - 130 g
- garlic finely chopped - 1 clove
- oil for frying - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste, preferably freshly ground
Preparation
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for 1–2 minutes less than the time given on the packet so it stays slightly firm in the centre. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish with oil.
- Wash the leek thoroughly, cut it in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half-moons. Cut the bacon into cubes or strips.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the bacon and fry for 4–5 minutes over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is lightly browned.
- Add the leek and fry together for 4–5 minutes, until the leek softens and becomes slightly translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute, stirring.
- In a bowl, mix the cream, milk, eggs, salt and a generous amount of pepper. Add half of the grated cheese and stir.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the contents of the pan. Pour over the cream-and-egg mixture and mix thoroughly so the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
- Transfer everything to the baking dish, smooth the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and the centre of the bake is clearly set. After removing from the oven, let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave until hot throughout. If it seems a bit dry when reheating, add a splash of milk or cream.
