TOP Bolton chef Mike Harrison has cooked for the great and the good and now he is sharing some of his most popular recipes with The Bolton News readers.

Each week he will provide a tasty starter, main course or dessert.

So get cooking and if you are particularly pleased with what you produce send a photograph of your dish to features@theboltonnews.co.uk AS far as ingredients go mushrooms are pretty versatile and their distinct meaty texture makes them a satisfying recipe ingredient for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

Mushrooms are a very rustic ingredient and best cooked from fresh. This week’s recipe can easily be adapted into a vegetarian dish by leaving out the pancetta.

This week I have included an approximate cost per portion for this dish and, with Christmas just around the corner and the “credit crunch”, I am sure that at 94p per portion for four it should take a little strain off the household budget. Enjoy.

Pappardelle with Pancetta, Pesto & Mushrooms Preparation: 10 mins Cooking: about 10 mins Serves: 4 Costing: £0.94 per serving Ingredients 300g/11oz pappardelle, fettucine or other ribbon pasta 150g/5oz smoked bacon or pancetta, sliced 250g pack of closed cup or chestnut mushrooms, sliced 60ml/4 tbsp fresh pesto (see below) parmesan cheese to serve For the Pesto: 25g/1oz fresh basil leaves 30ml/2 tbsp toasted pine nuts 2 garlic cloves, peeled 150ml/1/4pt extra virgin olive oil 25g/1oz Parmesan, freshly grated 75g/3oz Pecorino, freshly grated salt and freshly ground black pepper Method First make the pesto; blitz all ingredients together in a food processor. If keeping for a while, store in an airtight container with a little olive oil drizzled over the top.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for six mins or according to pack instructions until ‘al dente’. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan and add the pancetta. Fry for two mins until the fat begins to run, then add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat, stirring occasionally for six to eight mins or until the mushrooms and pancetta are golden. Season with plenty of ground black pepper.

Drain the pasta and immediately add to the mushroom pan, then add the pesto and toss well over the heat for a further minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Parmesan cheese.