MUSHROOM, WHITE WINE AND CREAM

QUICK COOK - SERVES 4

1 lb (500g) dried pasta
2 tbsp (30g) butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
8oz (250g) cremini or wild mushrooms, finely sliced
4 tbsp white wine
1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream
salt, black pepper
freshly grated parmesan to serve

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted waler, until firm to the bite. While pasta is cooking, melt butter with oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until just colored, 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer until just evaporated. Stir in cream and simmer gently until just thickened, 1-2 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup pasta water. Add pasla to the hot sauce. Toss well to coat, adding reserved water as needed. Serve immediately with parmesan.

WHICH PASTA?

Medium to wide ribbons - fettuccine, tagliatelle, pappardelle.

COOKS' NOTE

Use portobello or cremini mushrooms for this dish if wild mushrooms are beyond the budget or not available. For a superlative dish with an even deeper mushroom flavor, we strongly recommend adding dried porcini mushrooms (see variation below).

VARIATION
PORCINI, WHITE WINE, AND CREAM SAUCE
Soak loz (25g) packet of dried porcini. Finely chop and add to the hot pan with the garlic and fresh mushrooms. Cook as directed. Add the reserved mushroom soaking liquid with the wine. Finish as directed.