Cheats Carbonara (cheese free)

Slice the bacon into thin strips and place in a saucepan with a little oil over a low heat. Cook gently for about 5 mins until the bacon looks cooked but there is still juices in the pan.

Take the bacon out of the saucepan, leaving the juices behind, and transfer into a small bowl.

Add a small amount of butter (about a teaspoon) to the bacon juice that us left in the pan and allow to melt over a low heat. Next add the mushrooms.

Cook for about 5 mins then turn the heat up and return the bacon slices to the pan. Cook, stirring continuously until the bacon starts to go crispy and the mushrooms start to go golden brown.

Add the cream to the pan along with some black pepper and reduce the heat. leave the cream, mushrooms, bacon and black pepper to simmer gently. This will allow the sauce to thicken.

Whilst the sauce is thickening, add the pasta to a pan of boiling water and cook as per the packet (normally 4 mins).

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce, stir and serve. If you are having trouble getting the sauce to thicken add one tablespoon of the pasta water just before you drain it. The starch in the water will help make the sauce thicken but be careful, less is more and the sauce will thicken very quickly!

If you decide to use cheese I would suggest adding it as a garnish at the end, that is what my friends normally do when I make this for them!