creamy mushroom pasta

Y’all, I like some weird foods sometimes.  I know I’m a picky eater and all and don’t like a lot of normal things like peas and lots of fruits and tomatoes.  But some of the things I do like are just bizarre, well-relative to everything else.  When I was a toddler I was obsessed with prunes.  I ate them at my grandparents’ house all the time.  I also loved, and still do love, black olives.  Gerrit and I got pizza the other night and I ordered my half of it with light sauce, cheese, and black olives.  I remember once I went to Subway and ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with only cheese and black olives.  I didn’t actually want the black olives on the sandwich; I just wanted to dump them out and eat them separately, but the lady behind the counter gave me the strangest look.

So all that to say, when it comes to vegetables I like, mushrooms kind of seem like a strange option.  But I am obsessed, and my recipe bookmarks show it.  I’ll try to tone it down for y’all so we don’t get overwhelmed here, but currently I cannot get enough garlic butter roasted mushrooms.  And already we have had this pasta for dinner twice in the last week.  Also, I have this on my Amazon wishlist.

The other thing I am obsessed with recently is finding new dinners for us.  And by that I mean things that are super simple to make, and super casual as well.  Also, I want these things to be one dish meals.  Because as much as I loved those mashed potatoes last week, they are only a side dish.  And as lovely as that panko crusted salmon was, it still needs something to go with it to make a dinner.  And some nights, I need to worry about just one dish.  And preferably one that uses a maximum of two pots or pans and one in which precision is not necessary so that I don’t have to look back and forth to a recipe or even really measure.  Things like my favorite omelet or a creamy shrimp pasta.

And this pasta absolutely fits the bill.  It uses one pan for the mushrooms and the sauce, and one to boil the noodles.  It takes about fifteen, maybe twenty, minutes to put together.  It is hearty and good, with a thick creamy sauce and sauteed mushrooms that have soaked up the flavor of white wine.  And while I made sure to give you some precise measurements, it’s one of those recipes in which you can really feel like a cook and leave your measuring cups in the cabinet.  Although there is one thing I would recommend being precise about: slice your mushrooms very thinly-they cook better and soak up flavors better and fold in with your pasta better.

I am in love with this meal right now, so I have to be careful not to overwhelm Gerrit with having it too often (unlike me, he cannot eat the same thing every day and still love it).  But it fits everything I need in a dinner.  It’s quick and simple.  And it it feels like a full dish all in one, although perhaps with a side salad.  Unless you’re like me and like to count mushrooms as your dinner vegetable from time to time.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves 2-3

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 oz. long pasta (like spaghetti or linguine)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant and browned on both sides.  Remove the garlic from the oil before it burns.
2. Add the mushrooms along with the butter and a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.  Cook until the mushrooms are brown and moist, tossing occasionally.
3. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by a bit more than half (if you reduce it too much just add more wine and let it cook more).
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
5. Once the wine has reduced, lower the heat to medium-low.  Add the heavy cream and cook just enough to warm the cream, stirring occasionally.
6. Drain the pasta and add it to the mushroom pan.  Add the cheese on top of the pasta, along with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.  Then toss the pasta together until the sauce and mushrooms are evenly distributed.  Transfer to a serving dish (or serve it from the pan), top with the chopped parsley, and serve warm.