I SPOTTED THESE INTRIGUING LITTLE MUSHROOMS WITH THEIR ROUND NUBBY CAPS AND LONG STEMS AT A STAND IN THE FARMERS MARKET WHICH SELLS SEVERAL VARIETIES OF EXOTIC CULTIVATED MUSHROOMS. THEIR FIRM TEXTURE ALLOWS THEM TO STAND UP TO PAN COOKING WITH THE UMAMI OF SOME WILD MUSHROOMS. I DON'T KNOW THEIR NAME, BUT I CAN FIND OUT. SHITAKES WOULD BE A FAIR SUBSTITUTE. SO WOULD SMALL BROWN BUTTON MUSHROOMS. IN ANY CASE, I SAUTÉED THEM WITH GREEN GARLIC AND LEEKS, DEGLAZED THE PAN WITH WHITE WINE AND CHICKEN STOCK, THEN TOSSED IN SUGAR SNAP PEAS FOR THE BRIEFEST OF COOKING BEFORE COMBINING IT WITH BUCATINI. THEN ALL YOU NEED IS FRESHLY-GRATED PARMESAN. SERVED WITH A CRISP WHITE WINE AND YOU'VE GOT THE PERFECT SPRING PASTA.
SLICE THE SHITAKES INTO 1/2 INCH PIECES. DON'T DISCARD THE STEMS.
TRIM THE ROOT END AND DARK GREEN LEAVES FROM THE LEEKS. SLICE LENGTHWISE AND RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER TO REMOVE ANY GRIT. DRY IN A DISH TOWEL.CUT THE LEEK CROSSWISE INTO 1/2 INCH PIECES.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. CUT INTO THIN SLIVERS.
PULL THE STEMS WITH THEIR STRINGS OFF OF THE SUGAR SNAP PEAS.
HEAT 2 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL IN A FRYING PAN ON HIGH HEAT. ADD THE MUSHROOMS AND TOSS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES UNTIL THEY COLLAPSE AND DISGORGE ANY LIQUID.
LOWER THE HEAT. ADD 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER. STIR IN THE LEEKS AND THE GARLIC. STIR UNTIL THEY HAVE SOFTENED.
POUR IN 1/2 CUP OF WHITE WINE. BRING TO A BOIL AND, STIRRING FREQUENTLY, LET ALL BUT A FEW TBSPS COOK OFF. ADD THE CHICKEN STOCK AND REDUCE BY HALF. SET ASIDE.
BRING A LARGE POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY. ADD THE BUCATINI AND COOK AS DIRECTED, USUALLY 8-10 MINUTES.
SCOOP OUT HALF A CUP OF PASTA WATER AND SET ASIDE.
GRATE 1 CUP OF PARMESAN.
WHEN THE PASTA IS DONE, DRAIN, THEN RETURN TO THE POT. STIR IN 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER.
OVER LOW HEAT, STIR IN THE MUSHROOM SAUCE AND ABOUT 3 TBSPS OF PARMESAN. RAISE THE HEAT AND ADD ABOUT 1/3 CUP OF THE PASTA WATER. STIR VIGOROUSLY. THE LIQUID WILL EMULSIFY AND FORM A MORE THICKENED SAUCE.
STIR IN THE SUGAR SNAP PEAS FOR 30 SECONDS.
EMPTY INTO A WARMED PASTA BOWL* AND TOSS WITH FRESH HERBS. SERVE WITH THE REMAINING PARMESAN ON THE SIDE.
SERVES 4
*NOTE: IF YOU SET YOUR COLANDER OVER THE PASTA BOWL, THE PASTA WATER WILL HEAT THE BOWL FOR YOU.
Ingredients
Directions
SLICE THE SHITAKES INTO 1/2 INCH PIECES. DON'T DISCARD THE STEMS.
TRIM THE ROOT END AND DARK GREEN LEAVES FROM THE LEEKS. SLICE LENGTHWISE AND RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER TO REMOVE ANY GRIT. DRY IN A DISH TOWEL.CUT THE LEEK CROSSWISE INTO 1/2 INCH PIECES.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. CUT INTO THIN SLIVERS.
PULL THE STEMS WITH THEIR STRINGS OFF OF THE SUGAR SNAP PEAS.
HEAT 2 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL IN A FRYING PAN ON HIGH HEAT. ADD THE MUSHROOMS AND TOSS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES UNTIL THEY COLLAPSE AND DISGORGE ANY LIQUID.
LOWER THE HEAT. ADD 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER. STIR IN THE LEEKS AND THE GARLIC. STIR UNTIL THEY HAVE SOFTENED.
POUR IN 1/2 CUP OF WHITE WINE. BRING TO A BOIL AND, STIRRING FREQUENTLY, LET ALL BUT A FEW TBSPS COOK OFF. ADD THE CHICKEN STOCK AND REDUCE BY HALF. SET ASIDE.
BRING A LARGE POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY. ADD THE BUCATINI AND COOK AS DIRECTED, USUALLY 8-10 MINUTES.
SCOOP OUT HALF A CUP OF PASTA WATER AND SET ASIDE.
GRATE 1 CUP OF PARMESAN.
WHEN THE PASTA IS DONE, DRAIN, THEN RETURN TO THE POT. STIR IN 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER.
OVER LOW HEAT, STIR IN THE MUSHROOM SAUCE AND ABOUT 3 TBSPS OF PARMESAN. RAISE THE HEAT AND ADD ABOUT 1/3 CUP OF THE PASTA WATER. STIR VIGOROUSLY. THE LIQUID WILL EMULSIFY AND FORM A MORE THICKENED SAUCE.
STIR IN THE SUGAR SNAP PEAS FOR 30 SECONDS.
EMPTY INTO A WARMED PASTA BOWL* AND TOSS WITH FRESH HERBS. SERVE WITH THE REMAINING PARMESAN ON THE SIDE.
SERVES 4
*NOTE: IF YOU SET YOUR COLANDER OVER THE PASTA BOWL, THE PASTA WATER WILL HEAT THE BOWL FOR YOU.