Field mushrooms stuffed with bacon and spinach (funghi ripiene di pancetta e spinaci)

Ingredients

• 4 field mushrooms, wiped clean and stalks removed and chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 75g bacon lardons
• 60g baby spinach leaves, washed and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 4 basil leaves, shredded
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• crostini, to serve
• green salad, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.
2. Arrange the mushroom caps on an oiled baking tray.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp and golden. Add the chopped mushroom stalks to the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the spinach and sliced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs, basil and parsley. Season to taste.
4. Spoon the bacon and spinach stuffing into the mushrooms. Bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, until crisp and golden. Serve immediately on crostini with a green salad.

Eat Like An Italian

Catherine Fulvio of Ballyknocken House & Cookery School, has a new book available now 'Eat Like An Italian: Recipes for the Good Life', published by Gill & Macmillan at £19.99, which provides lots of information and tips on how to adapt to a more leisurely lifestyle and incorporate the Italian food rules. Find out more about Catherine Fulvio at www.ballyknocken.com.