WHY ITALIANS LOVE MUSHROOMS
Italians have a thing for mushrooms.
When autumn arrives, many disappear into the woods carrying baskets, knives, and generations of family knowledge.
Some return with Porcini, others with Cardoncelli, Pioppini, or whatever the season and the forest have decided to offer.
And when the baskets are full, the kitchen fills with one unmistakable aroma: garlic gently browning in olive oil.
That’s when pasta with mushrooms happens.
Simple, seasonal, and deeply Italian.
PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS: AN ITALIAN AUTUMN CLASSIC
Italian cooking is at its best when ingredients are allowed to speak for themselves.
This pasta needs very little: mushrooms, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, a touch of chili if you like it, and your favorite pasta shape.
Nothing more.
The mushrooms become the protagonists, while everything else quietly supports them.
WHAT MUSHROOMS TO USE
I prepared this recipe with a mix I found at my local greengrocer: Cardoncelli, King Trumpet, Pioppini, and Black Poplar mushrooms.
But I make it just as happily with Porcini, Champignons, or whatever looks freshest that day.
That’s the beauty of Italian home cooking: it adapts to the market.
Not the other way around.
WHICH PASTA SHAPE?
Long pasta is traditionally preferred.
Linguine, Tagliatelle, Tagliolini, Fettuccine, and Pappardelle all work beautifully because they wrap themselves around the mushrooms and absorb every drop of the olive oil and garlic.
A FEW ITALIAN PASTA QUANTITIES
For one serving I usually cook between 80 and 100 grams of dried pasta.
If using fresh pasta, I increase the quantity a little.
For the mushrooms, however, I rarely measure.
The beginning of mushroom season has always had one effect on me: I buy too many.
And I never regret it.
Pasta with mushrooms the Italian way
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz pasta of your choice 200 gr
- 8.8 oz mushrooms Champignons, Porcini, King Trumpet, or Black Poplar - 250 gr
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon parsley freshly chopped
- 1 chili pepper our Peperoncino
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions
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Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil - about two liters (half a gallon) and one tablespoon of salt.
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Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth and a (soft!) vegetable brush if needed. It is always better to avoid water as the flavor might be altered. Dry them with a kitchen cloth and slice them vertically by a centimeter (scarcely half an inch).
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With the blade of a large knife flat on it, crush the garlic clove by pressing your lower palm - no need to peel it.
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If you like spicy flavors, carve the chili and keep the seeds. If not, keep it whole, and you'll get a slight hint of spicy.
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Finely chop the parsley.
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In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium/low heat for a minute or so. Add the garlic and the chili pepper, and sautè them until the garlic gets a brownish crust. Immediately discard them. Toss in the mushrooms, a pinch of salt, and half the parsley. Mix, cover, and cook for less than ten minutes. Check every now and then, especially after a couple of minutes: if needed, add a quarter cup of water to avoid the mushrooms from sticking to the pan.
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Toss the pasta into the boiling water and cook it according to the package directions for "al dente". A couple of minutes before done, collect some of the starchy cooking water with a cup and set it aside.
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Once both the pasta and the mushrooms are done, drain the first and transfer it to the skillet. Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water - more if the mushrooms turned out very dry, but I doubt it. Combine well, turn the heat to high, and sautè until a creamy film enfolds the pasta.
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Garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve your pasta with mushrooms hot.
Enjoy your easy Italian pasta with mushrooms!
Claudia