Wild Mushroom Pasta

Name: Wild Mushroom Pasta
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 350 g tagliatelle; 400 g mixed mushrooms, cleaned and torn or sliced; 1 tbsp olive oil; 30 g butter; 1 small shallot, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves; 75 ml dry white wine or vegetable stock; 60 g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve; 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley; ½ lemon; Fine salt and black pepper

Silky tagliatelle with golden mushrooms, garlic, herbs and aged cheese.

Time40 minLevelEasyMakes4 servingsCuisineItaly

01 — THE STORY

Behind the plate

Mushroom pasta becomes memorable when the mushrooms are treated as the main ingredient, not simply stirred into a cream sauce. High heat gives them colour, concentrates their flavour and creates the base for the final emulsion.

The sauce is finished with starchy pasta water and Parmesan, which coat the tagliatelle without hiding the earthy mushrooms. It is simple cooking, but timing matters.

03 — THE METHOD

Cook step by step

01
Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. Clean the mushrooms with a brush or damp cloth rather than soaking them.
02
Heat a wide frying pan until hot. Add the oil and half the mushrooms in one layer. Leave them undisturbed until golden, then toss and finish cooking. Season lightly and repeat with the second batch.
03
Lower the heat. Add half the butter, the shallot, garlic and thyme to the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes without colouring the garlic.
04
Pour in the wine or stock and simmer until reduced by half. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle until just al dente, reserving at least 250 ml pasta water.
05
Transfer the pasta to the mushroom pan with 100 ml cooking water. Toss vigorously over low heat, adding a splash more water if the pan looks dry.
06
Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan and remaining butter. Toss until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta rather than sitting at the bottom of the pan.
07
Finish with parsley, a squeeze of lemon and plenty of black pepper. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.

04 — FROM THE PASS

Chef's notes

Brown mushrooms in batches. An overcrowded pan traps steam and prevents colour.
Grate the Parmesan finely so it melts quickly away from direct heat.
Pasta continues to absorb liquid after plating, so finish the sauce slightly looser than you think it needs to be.

AT THE TABLE

How to serve it

Serve in warm shallow bowls with a bitter-leaf salad and lemon dressing on the side.