Dinner Tonight: Tube-Shaped Pasta with Wild Mushrooms
I recently stumbled upon Saveur’s 10 favorite pastas and figured I had it made. I love pasta. Saveur loves pasta. We’d meet somewhere and have one hell of a dinner. And this is the one I fell for. I was immediately drawn to this dish because of how robust and filling it all sounded, even though there wasn’t an ounce of meat present. It exceeded my expectations. I was amazed at the full flavor and enormous body of this dish. I suppose the wonderful mushrooms had something to do with it, but I’m going to thank all that salt I dumped into the pasta water before the noodles ever went in. This dish didn’t need an ounce of seasoning beyond the obligatory sprinkling of Parmesan. It tasted as if some reduced stock had been thrown in.
The most expensive item in the meal—the sherry—is also the one that can most easily be substituted. A dry white wine would work perfectly fine. But it would slightly change the nature and aroma of the dish. And splurging for that Spanish beverage wouldn't be a complete waste. A good bottle of sherry is also worth drinking, and paired so well that I'm really glad I bit the bullet and bought the bottle.
Tube-Shaped Pasta with Wild Mushrooms
- serves 2 to 3 -
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound of assorted mushrooms (chanterelles, porcini, etc.), cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons fino sherry
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/2 pound tube-shaped pasta (such as rigatoncini or penne)
1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated
Salt and pepper
Procedure
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toss in about 3 tablespoons of salt.
2. Meanwhile, pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are translucent. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
3. Pour another tablespoon of olive oil to the now empty skillet, turn the heat to high, and then add the mushrooms. Season with salt. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Pour the sherry in to deglaze the skillet. Scrap the bottom with a wooden spoon, dislodging any browned bits. Cook for 2 minutes. Toss in the parsley, reduce the heat to medium-low.
5. While the mushrooms are cooking, start the pasta. Cook according to package instructions, subtracting about a minute off the finished time. When ready, scoop out about a quarter cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and then immediately toss with the mushroom sauce. Add the water if it needs to be more substantial. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
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5 Comments:
Judging by the chicken and dumplings from Saveur, might have to start including more recipes from the magazine into the cooking lineup. That dish rocked!! 10 stars!!
bster18 at 6:35PM on 04/16/08
I must agree about the Saveur recipes. I made a long and involved caponata recipe last weekend, and it was fantastic. Now I'm just trying to get through all the leftovers...
emmab at 9:40PM on 04/16/08
Umm, I think there's something(s) missing in the recipe. When are the remaining 2 tablespoons oil used? When are the onions returned to the pan?
Dee at 8:27AM on 04/17/08
Emmab,
Which caponata recipe was it and how are you using it??
bster18 at 3:39PM on 04/17/08
Put the onions and garlic back in when you start to cook the mushrooms. You are just trying not to brown or burn the garlic. Once the mushrooms are browned, add back other veg, then add the pasta water (it often takes more than 1/4 cup) right then and the garlic won't burn. This is not, as so often stated in American recipes, an optional step. It's how the boiling hot pasta is convinced to pull in the flavors of the sauce. The sauce should just simmer while it waits for the pasta, drain, toss in, mix and the pasta will meld perfectly.
Dishes like this often have a thread of raw oil added when it is served. The flavor is totally different from cooked oil, but use a good one. I probably would not eat cheese on this pasta.
Judith in Umbria at 4:31AM on 04/18/08