Creamy Farfalle Pasta Recipes

FARFALLE PASTA WITH SPINACH, MUSHROOMS, AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add sliced onions and cook on high heat for about 10 minutes, constantly stirring with the spatula.
• The onions should start to brown, but without burning.
• Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking onions for 10 more minutes, continuing to stir, as onions brown even more without burning. At this point add a pinch of salt over onions.
• Continue cooking for 10 more minutes on medium or low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure onions don't stick to the bottom of the pan or burn.
• In total, you should have cooked onions for 30 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle the onions with a small amount of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
• Using a spatula, stir the onions, scraping the bottom of the pan and coating onions with a pinch of balsamic vinegar you just added. Remove caramelized onions to a plate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet on medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
• Cook mushrooms for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms are soft.
• Add fresh spinach to the skillet and stir on low heat just until spinach starts to wilt.
• Add half-and-half to the mushroom and spinach mixture and bring to a quick boil. Immediately reduce to simmer.
• Add 2/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Keep stirring while the sauce simmers until the cheese melts.
• Add caramelized onions back to the skillet with the pasta sauce.
• Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
• Add cooked and drained farfalle pasta to the creamy sauce. Stir on low heat for a couple of minutes to reheat.
• If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of half-and-half to thin it out. If it is too thin, add a small amount of shredded Parmesan cheese, and stir it in, while the sauce simmers.
• Serve with more shredded parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

CREAMY FARFALLE WITH CREMINI, ASPARAGUS, AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the farfalle. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to moisten. Stir in 1/2 cup of walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts. Serve.