Wild Mushroom Pasta

I was watching Jamie Oliver do a vegetarian dinner on Oliver’s Twist one night and what he was doing looks so delicious that I started typing up the recipes as he went along (I eventually found the original recipes online later on). He did a Wild Mushroom Spaghetti, Mushroom Sarnies & Pecan Vanilla Ice Cream. I tried making them all for my husband and they were a hit. The  pasta & sarnie are now staples at home.  I would make the dessert regularly as well if only we had an espresso machine. You can’t really take home espresso from Starbucks & use it, because espresso has to be drank a few seconds after preparation or it changes in taste & quality.

The Wild Mushroom Pasta is a favorite party recipe of mine. You can make a big batch, and it still tastes GREAT after reheating – provided you bring extra parmesan & cilantro to top it off after. Below is my adaptation of the recipe.

• 9 to 11 ounces (250 to 300 grams) wild mixed mushrooms (I would probably buy around 14 ounces (400 grams) mushrooms, as you have to trim a bit off) you can mix in a few expensive mushrooms & mix with cheaper ones
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped I use 3-4 cloves because I love garlic
• 1 to 2 small dried red chiles, pounded or very finely chopped I do without this, because it’s pretty good without
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced  I only use a squeeze or two because I find it too sour if I juice half a lemon
• 1 pound (455 grams) dried spaghetti I like to use angel hair pasta
• A small handful grated Parmesan
• 1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped I find it is much, much tastier with cilantro – even my hubby who doesn’t like cilantro, loves this
• 2 ounces (55 grams) unsalted butter

1. Clean & chop up the mushrooms thinly (or tear them up)
2. Place olive oil in a really hot pan
3. Let them fry fast, tossing once or twice
4. Place mushrooms with a dash of salt & pepper
5. Crush & chop the garlic, place in the side of the pan & toss-up with the mushroom
6. Start cooking pasta in a pot of hot water with salt
7. Continue to fry the mushroom fast for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing regularly
8. Once the mushrooms are almost done, turn off the stove
9. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Toss and season to taste.
10. Once the pasta is al dente, toss directly on to the pan with the shrooms, include a little bit of the pasta water to the pan to keep the pasta moist, then chopped-up stick of butter, cilantro & parmesan
11. Toss gently, coating the pasta with the mushrooms and their flavor
12. Serve, scraping out all of the last bits of mushroom from the pan, and sprinkle with a little extra cilantro and parmesan
13. Serve hot

If you are using it for a party, skip #12 until right before serving. Place the extra chopped cilantro & parmesan in a separate container. When it’s time to eat microwave the pasta until it’s hot, then sprinkle with a lot of parmesan & cilantro on top.

I can’t forget the time we had a potluck over-night party with my foodie friends. My friend Graey said she hates cilantro, but she loves this dish. There were only 6 of us but I brought a massive container of this pasta that could feed a dozen people, by the next day it was gone! We ate it all – even had it for it at breakfast the next day!