Orecchiette with Roasted Vegetables, Fresh Herbs, and Asiago Cheese Recipe by Mangia
Penne with Roasted Shallots and Porcini Mushroom Glaze
The pasta salad is particularly nice for company because fresh porcini mushrooms, available only in the fall, are special. The wait for them is worth it. Use cremini, shiitake, or a combination of the two at other times. If you are serving this for a special occasion, roast tenderloin, with or without a peppercorn crust, is the ideal accompaniment. Because of the cream in the mushroom glaze, this pasta, special as it is, does not keep.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces shallots about 8 medium shallots
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus
- 2 tablespoons
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus extra for seasoning
- 8 ounces fresh porcini mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 pound penne
- ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- 1.Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel and trim the shallots. Toss the shallots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and several grinds of pepper to taste. Spread them on
- a small baking sheet and roast for
- 45 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Trim the ends off the stems of the mushrooms and discard. Rinse the mushrooms well and thinly slice them from top to bottom.
- Peel, trim, and slice the garlic.
- In a large skillet, cook the garlic in half of a cup of olive oil over low heat, stirring, until softened, but do not let it brown. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté them, stirring, until they begin to release water. Add the wine and increase the heat to medium. Add the 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg, and thyme. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the cream, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir to separate, and cook over high heat for 10 minutes, until al dente. (Or follow the cooking directions on the package.) Drain the pasta in a colander. To prevent the pasta from sticking together, spread it out on a large baking sheet or platter and let it cool, about 15 minutes. Cover and hold at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Transfer the cooled pasta to a large serving
- bowl.
- On a cutting board, coarsely chop the roasted shallots. Add them to the pasta, add the mushroom glaze, and toss well. Add the cheese and toss again. Adjust the seasonings. Serve within 1 hour.
