Wild Mushroom-Pine Nut Penne

February 26, 2015

If you’re gonna impress your guests with pasta, you might as well really knock them out with this one. Rich, spicy and earthy, they’ll be ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing’ as this sensual dish makes their knees weak…and no one need know that you’re dissolving all their neck tension with the deliciously creamy mushroom sauce. What a good friend you are.

Makes 5-6 servings

Ingredient List:

  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • sea salt
  • 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until tender, stemmed, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup lobster mushrooms, soaked until tender, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cremini mushrooms, brushed free of dirt, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped
  • 2-3 Portobello mushrooms, brushed free of dirt, stemmed, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 10 ounces penne pasta
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 2 teaspoons sweet white miso
  • grated zest of 1emon
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh flatleaf parsley, finely minced

Step By Step Instructions:

Place a generous amount of oil in a deep skillet, with the garlic and onion and turn heat to medium. When the onions begin to sizzle, add red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in shiitake and lobster mushrooms, a pinch of salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in cremini, oyster and Portobello mushrooms, a pinch of salt and sauté until the mushrooms begin to release their juices.  

Add the wine, season lightly with salt, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook over low heat until mushrooms are quite tender, 20-25 minutes. Stir in pine nuts.  

While the mushrooms cook, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook penne al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain well, reserving a small amount of pasta cooking water. Do not rinse pasta. Arrange on a serving platter.  

Dissolve miso in reserved pasta water and stir into mushroom mixture, along with lemon zest, continuing to stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and spoon over pasta. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.  

Cook’s Tip: If you prefer to cook this dish without wine, simply substitute with vegetable broth or water.