Mushroom Sauced Spaghetti

 

I am taking on the task of eating out of my pantry and freezer.  Fall is near and I want to re-up my pantry with fresh items.  I have so much dried pasta in my pantry it is ridiculous!  Every time I'm spending all of my money perusing Big Lots or Tarjay or Marshalls, I pick up a different kind; basil, spinach fettucine, tomato basil, different shapes and sizes...I got'em!  The funny thing is while I love a good pasta dish, we don't really eat a lot of it.

 

 

 

This recipe is a definite Weeknight Winner!  This dish came together in less than thirty minutes.  No special ingredients either, I had everything already in my pantry or fridge: pre-sliced mushrooms, onions and garlic, cream, etc.!

I found the recipe here (such a beautiful site!)  I only made a few small changes:

• I did not use the bouillon (it can be salty)
• I used the pasta water instead
• I ended up using a tablespoon of butter
• I used dried sage
• I garnished the pasta with a bit of Asiago cheese and pepper flakes

Mushroom Sauced Spaghetti

Adapted from:  http://www.mangiodasola.com

What you need:

• 8 oz store-bought fettuccine (I used spaghetti)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (or enough to sautee vegetables)
• 1 small onion (or shallot), chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 oz of fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 Tbsp of unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp of all purpose flour
• 1-2 cups reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp dried sage 
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

What to do:

• Prepare pasta according to package directions, reserving 1-2 cups of the pasta water
• While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a medium skillet or saucepan over medium heat, and cook onions and garlic until translucent, 3-5 minutes
• Stir in mushrooms, and cook until tender, another 2-3 minutes
• Add the butter, after the butter melts add the flour. This will thicken the sauce.  Stir with the vegetables for about 3-5 minutes
• Mix in the pasta water (more or less depending on the thickness of the sauce) and the heavy cream and sage. Cook and stir until thickened. If too thick, use some pasta water (i.e., the leftover water from the cooked pasta) to thin out the sauce a bit.
• Either mix the sauce with the cooked pasta (like I did) or pour sauce over pasta! 
• Serve immediately.

 Cook.Eat.Repeat.