Pasta With Mushrooms And Chestnuts Recipes

ROASTED CHESTNUT & HERB PESTO PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Put the chestnuts in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Throw in the herbs, Parmesan and garlic, then pulse again until chopped (not too finely). Pour in the rapeseed oil, mix together and season to taste.
• Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms with some seasoning for 6-8 mins until tender and starting to brown. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, return to the pan, then stir through the pesto and the mushrooms. Serve with some extra Parmesan on top, if you like.

PASTA WITH CHESTNUTS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, make a horizontal cut on the flat side of each chestnut. Place them in boiling water to cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove them from the water a few at a time and peel while still hot.
• Soak the mushrooms in about 1 1/2 cups of very hot water. For the pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it.
• Place half the butter in a skillet, turn the heat to medium-high, and a minute later, add the shallots. Sprinkle lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Chop the chestnuts into 1/2- to 1/4-inch chunks, then measure about a cup. Add them to the skillet, along with a little more salt.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chestnuts deepen in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the water; strain and reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms, and add them to the skillet; cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then add the strained liquid. Turn the heat to low, and season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.
• Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. If the chestnut sauce is too thick, add a little of the pasta water to it when the pasta is nearly done. Stir in the remaining butter.Drain the pasta, and dress with the sauce. Serve immediately.

CHESTNUT PASTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, whole wheat flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper; mix. Make a well in the center and add eggs and 2 tablespoons olive oil; beat well. In a bowl combine chestnut puree and 1/2 cup water; add to egg mixture. Incorporate flour and egg mix. Dough will be very stiff. Adjust with more flour or water. Knead for 10 minutes and allow dough to rest for 5 minutes.
• Cut off a handful of dough. With a rolling pin, roll 6 inch wide strips, 1/16" thick. Use a pasta machine if you have one. Dust strips with flour. Allow to slightly dry on muslin cloth. Cut into long pasta 1/4" wide. Dry for 30 minutes.
• Add pasta to a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water with a tablespoon of oil. Boil for 5 minutes; drain. Mix pasta with olive oil, minced garlic, Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

ZITI WITH CHESTNUTS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cut a ring around each chestnut, then put them in boiling water to cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove them from the water, a few at a time, and peel while still hot. Meanwhile, soak the mushrooms in about 1 1/2 cups of very hot water.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put half the butter or oil in a skillet, turn the heat to medium-high, and, a minute later, add the shallot. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Chop the chestnuts into 1/2- to 1/4-inch chunks, then measure about 1 cup. Add them to the skillet along with a little more salt.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chestnuts deepen in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid; reserve and strain the liquid. Chop the mushrooms and add them to the skillet; cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then add the strained mushroom-soaking liquid. Turn the heat to low and season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.
• Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the pasta-cooking water to it when the pasta is nearly done. Stir in the remaining butter or oil, then drain the pasta and dress with the sauce. Serve immediately.
• Variations
• Add a few fresh thyme sprigs along with the shallot. Remove before serving and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves as a garnish.
• Add diced (1/4 inch or less) zucchini; peeled, seeded, and diced tomato; or red bell pepper-no more than a cup total-along with the chestnuts.
• Peeling Chestnut
• There are many ways to peel chestnuts, which like most nuts have a hard outer shell and a soft inner skin. Removing them both is a three-step process. First, use a paring knife-a curved one with a sharp point makes this quick and easy-to cut a ring around the equator of each nut or make an X on the flat side. Plunge the nuts into boiling water to cover for about three minutes, then turn off the heat, leaving the chestnuts in the water. Remove two or three at a time and, using the knife and your fingers, peel off both shell and skin; use a towel to protect your hands from the heat if necessary. If you're doing a large batch-say, twenty or more-you'll notice that as the water cools the skins become more difficult to remove. Bring the pot back to a boil and they'll begin to slip off again. And, although the exact count of chestnuts for this dish is not critical, I begin with fifteen, because there are usually a couple of rotten ones, or some whose inner skin refuses to come off. These must be discarded.