"cheesy spag"
Actually in this case it's fusilli, not spag, but never mind. This is real "comfort food"; I've been cooking it since I was about 16. It's one of those lovely recipes that never come out exactly the same twice but are always delicious. I don't think it's a real Italian recipe though if anyone out there can tell me different I'd love to know!). For 2:
2..4 rashers bacon (depending on how meaty you like it; most any kind will do, I prefer smoked, pancetta would be fine)
1 small onion
6 chestnut mushrooms or 8 white ones
one large clove of garlic
a little plain flour
a little olive oil
about 1/2 pint milk
a big handful of grated cooking cheese (mild Cheddar in the UK)
dried oregano or thyme
Chop the bacon very finely and fry steadily in olive oil until it starts to colour - keep it moving! Finely chop the onion and add it to the bacon. Cover and sweat until the onion starts to soften. Chop the garlic very finely and add it to the pan. Meanwhile thinly slice the mushrooms and grate/finely chop the cheese. When the garlic has been in for two minutes or so put in enough flour to take up the fat, stir in well and let it fry gently for a minute or so. While it's cooking, grind in plenty of black pepper, a smidge of salt if the bacon isn't salt enough, and a shake of herbs. Then stir in milk to make a thick-ish sauce, bring gently back to the boil stirring constantly, and chuck in the cheese. Keep stirring to blend in the cheese; it will appear to thicken at first, but that will pass, so don't panic. Once it has settled down, put in the mushrooms, bring back to a gentle simmer and cook very gently, stirring as much as you can be bothered, while you cook the pasta. If you're doing this for more than two, put the water on for the pasta suitably early so that you end up simmering the sauce only for about as long as it takes the pasta actually to cook.