The creamiest mixed mushroom pasta

Look, this recipe won’t win any health awards, but sometimes we just need to indulge - and this is one of my favourite ways to do just that. Real egg pasta is essential.

Credit: Savannah van der Niet

• serves

  5-6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
• 100 g (3½ oz) butter
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) mixed mushrooms, sliced (I used button and Swiss browns)
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp chopped thyme, or 1 tsp dried
• 150 g (5½ oz) oyster or king oyster mushrooms, stems removed, cut into matchsticks
• 400 g (14 oz) fresh egg pasta (or gluten-free pasta)
• 190 ml (6½ fl oz/¾ cup) white wine
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) vegetable stock
• 300 ml (10 fl oz) pouring (single/light) cream
• 200 g (7 oz) baby spinach leaves
• 100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
• basil leaves, to serve

Instructions

1. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook slowly, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is browning and significantly reduced.
2. Add 75 g (2¾ oz) of the butter to the pan and turn the heat to high. Add the mixed mushrooms and let them cook and sweat out their liquid, stirring only every minute or so, until they begin to brown. If your pan isn’t very big, cook the mushrooms in two batches. After about 5 minutes of cooking, add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, ready for the pasta. In another non-stick frying pan, melt the remaining butter. Once it starts sizzling, add the king oyster mushroom strips. Cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring infrequently, until the strips have shrunk and are golden brown and beginning to crisp up. Season well and set aside.
4. After the mixed mushrooms have been cooking for around 10 minutes and are looking brown and delicious, put the pasta on to cook, stirring regularly.
5. Reduce the frying pan heat to low and add the wine and stock to the mixed mushrooms, deglazing the pan and stirring for about 2 minutes, or until about half the wine has evaporated. Stir in the cream, along with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir in the spinach and parmesan. Continue to simmer gently until the pasta is ready.
6. Once the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta, reserving 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) of the cooking water. Add the pasta water and pasta to the frying pan with the sauce. Stir carefully to combine, still over a low heat. Taste and season if necessary.
7. Serve immediately, topped with the king oyster mushroom strips, extra parmesan and fresh basil.

 

Recipe and images from The Shared Table by Clare Scrine, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.