OK, so I’m yet to discover that eating too many mushrooms encourages weird dreams, but if such a condition exists, then I’m in for a show!
I used four types of mushrooms, button, swiss brown, oyster and enoki (which are the long stem small head mushrooms). The combination of olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms is pretty hard to beat. This is a really delightful pasta which I thought suited the day we experienced today.
You can use any type of mushrooms, even one type only. It will still taste terrific.
Make sure you know that the mushrooms you are using are safe, particularly if you ‘found them in the garden’. I suggest not to use field mushrooms unless you are trained in their identification and potential danger, and you wish to take that risk.
Ing.
2 cups of Mushrooms, any type (from a reliable source)
300gms spaghetti
One onion, sliced
Four cloves of garlic, finely diced
A handful of Continental parsley
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
80gms butter
300gms fresh thickened cream
A tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon Massel powdered chicken stock* (dissolved in a splash of hot water)
Freshly cracked pepper to taste
Murray River Pink salt
Grated Grana Padano cheese to serve
Method
The pasta and the mushroom sauce are to be prepared separately. Heat the pasta water so the water will be heated in a few minutes time, ready to cook.
In a large stovetop pan, gently pan fry the onion in olive oil over medium heat. Once golden add the butter. As the butter melts add the chopped garlic to the butter, ensuring it doesn’t fry. Now add all the mushrooms (whole) and the Massel stock which is dissolved in a splash of hot water. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste. Add the handful of chopped parsley and thyme.
Cook it for about 5-7 minutes while the mushrooms reduce.
The pasta water is probably now ready. Add your pasta to the water and cook as per the instructions on the packet, which is generally about eight minutes.
Now to your mushroom pan, add the cream. Stir it about and let it sit for about three minutes whilst it rises. Let it rise, but not boil. Once the cream takes on the colour of the mushrooms turn off the heat and let it rest until your pasta is ready.
Strain the cooked pasta through a colander. Tip the pasta into the mushroom sauce and toss about so everything is covered in the delicious mushroom flavoured cream.
Serve with a generous sprinkling of Grana Padano cheese.
Now eat.
Enjoy those dreams.
Kind regards,
Brendan Blake
* Massel stock is vegan
