Tagliatelle with Mushrooms
Don’t know what it’s like for you, but in our house, faced with so little variation in our daily routines, what’s on the menu for dinner has assumed an unprecedented importance, as if by cooking up interesting and different dishes, I can bring back the joyous, spontaneous and happier days we all enjoyed just some 6 weeks ago.
Unfortunately, in trying to be “fun”, I’ve had quite a few flops lately—there was the rather tasteless, overly doughy Grandma’s-style pizza with “not enough sauce”, the individual savory soufflés that rose gorgeously but were “way too cheesy”, and the veggie casserole which should have been wonderful, but just…wasn’t. So what a pleasant surprise, (dare I say, miracle?) that this Tagliatelle with Mushrooms, was a bonafide hit with all! Thank god, because it would have been a crying shame to waste my artisanal pasta!
There’s not much to this dish, which should have been my first clue to how great it would turn out, proof once again, that simple, good quality ingredients prepared without a lot of fanfare or fuss, is truly the way to go.
In addition to the mushrooms and tagliatelle (and I would highly recommend you get your hands on some or another variety of the best pasta you can for this) there are only a few other ingredients, like shallots, chicken or vegetable stock, plus a little heavy cream and butter, but oh, how wonderfully they combine!
The mushrooms get all tender and browned and their earthiness contrasts perfectly with the starchy chew of the tagliatelle strands. And everything gets coated in just the barest of cream sauces. Tons of flavor without too much richness.
If you’re in comfort food mode (and who is not these days?) I cannot think of anything more warm and comforting.
Yes, finally, finally, I’ve broken the streak—let’s hope it’s a sign that better days are on their way!
Tagliatelle with Mushrooms
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds mushrooms (any kind, I used a mix of crimini and regular button), sliced not too thinly
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 pound tagliatelle (you could use any kind of pasta of course)
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly grated parmesan for serving (optional)
The Recipe
1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and stir every now and then until the are browned and tender, about 7-8 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the shallots and a large pinch of salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes, until the shallots are softened and translucent. Add the stock and reduce the heat to low. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until most of the stock has evaporated and only a little bit is left in the bottom of the skillet.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta, stirring often, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package directions call for. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta liquid and drain pasta. Transfer pasta to skillet with mushrooms and add the pasta water. Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer, tossing constantly for 2 minutes, until pasta finishes cooking and liquid has thickened. Add the cream and continue to cook, tossing pasta constantly, until coated for another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter and more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve as is or with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe loosely adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine. I reduced the oil, cut the prosciutto and thyme, increased the mushrooms and pasta and tinkered with a few other things too.
