Pasta With Mixed Mushrooms And Thyme Recipes

PASTA WITH MIXED MUSHROOMS AND THYME

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente; drain, and return to pot. Set aside. While pasta is cooking, in a small bowl, soak porcini in 1 1/2 cups hot water until tender, at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine; cook until almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add button and shiitake mushrooms. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add porcini and their soaking liquid (leaving any grit at the bottom of the bowl) and thyme to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by half, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer porcini mixture to pot with pasta. Add Parmesan and remaining butter, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with more Parmesan.

BIG PASTA WITH MUSHROOM, PARSLEY, GARLIC AND THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter for the bechamel, and add the flour, stirring gently to make a smooth paste. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the milk. Turn the heat back on to medium, and stir the bechamel until it begins to thicken and come to the boil. Let it bubble for about 5 minutes to get rid of the floury taste. Take off the heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter and the oil in a large wide pan. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid, and chop before adding to the pan with 3/4 cup chopped parsley, the dried or fresh thyme, and garlic. Stir for a couple of minutes then melt the remaining 1 stick of butter in the same pan and add the chopped mushrooms, stirring for about 5 minutes. The mushrooms will appear dry at first but will eventually start to give off some liquid.
• Add the porcini soaking liquid, which the mushrooms will largely absorb, but keep stirring and add the sherry and let it bubble away. Turn off the heat when you have a bronzed, syrupy stew.
• Stir the mushroom mixture into the bechamel and add 1 cup of the Parmesan and the other 3/4 cup of the chopped parsley. Put a big pan of water on for the pasta, and when it boils, salt it well. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and add to the mushroomy white sauce, stirring it as best you can to get the pasta covered.
• Turn into the large roasting pan and sprinkle over the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden in places.
• When the tin comes out of the oven, decorate with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped parsley and some sprigs of fresh thyme.

PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS, FRIED EGGS AND HERBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta until it's al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta water.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Fry until the undersides are golden and crispy and the yolk is still runny, 2 to 4 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer eggs to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the remaining olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the mushrooms and sauté until deeply browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme and red-pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute. Season well with salt.
• Add the pasta to the skillet along with the remaining butter, grated cheese and 1 cup of the pasta water, tossing everything together until the butter melts and the sauce is glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and toss again to combine, adding more of the pasta water as needed to loosen up the sauce.
• Serve in bowls with a fried egg on top of each portion and scatter with the mint, if using. Pass additional grated cheese at the table and drizzle with a bit more of the olive oil if desired.