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Pasta with mushrooms the Italian way

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2
Author Claudia Rinaldi

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

  1. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil - about two liters (half a gallon) and one tablespoon of salt.

  2. 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).

  3. With the blade of a large knife flat on it, crush the garlic clove by pressing your lower palm - no need to peel it.
  4. 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.
  5. Finely chop the parsley.
  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.
  9. Garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve your pasta with mushrooms hot.