As soon as there is a nip in the air and summer has come to a close, I crave warm and comforting food. This pasta dish is very easy to make, and I can see this appearing regularly on our table this season. While it would be most delicious with fresh foraged mushrooms, I had to make do with cultivated brown mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. But to make it a bit more special, I threw in a few dried porcini mushrooms.
Mushroom pasta
- 200 g pasta
- 350 g mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 1 handful dried porcini mushrooms, optional
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- a splash of cream, optional
- salt & pepper
- grated Parmesan to serve
Place the dried porcini in a non-reactive bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for about 20 min. Drain, reserving the water.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, adding all but 2-3 Tbs of the mushroom water. The mushroom water may also be added when the pasta is added to the pot. Adding the mushroom water will give the pasta a slight mushroom flavor.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and add the mushrooms when the oil is hot. Sautée the mushrooms until almost cooked through. Add the garlic, thyme and the re-hydrated porcini. Lower the heat and sautée, then add the leftover mushroom water for more flavor. Add a splash of cream, for a creamy taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Place the pasta in two bowls and top with the mushrooms. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 2
