The Charmed Kitchen

Mushroom Lovers Pasta

It would be hard to fit more mushrooms into this dish. I started by making fresh pasta and included mushroom powder in the dough. Then I sauteed up onions, garlic and a pound of fresh mushrooms for the sauce. My dinner guest loved it, and so did I.

Start by making the pasta dough. It has to rest before rolling. It will only take a couple of minutes to cook. I rolled and cut the pasta, then set it aside. Once my sauce was ready, I boiled the pasta and added it to the sauce.

I think the only thing I forgot, was to dust the top of the dish with mushroom powder before serving. I served it as a side dish, but it could easily be a main dish. I used a combination of button and Crimini mushrooms. Use what mushrooms you like.

So, we will start with the recipe for the mushroom pasta.

Mushroom  Pasta

3 c. flour, more if using electric pasta machine. See note.

½ c. mushroom powder- made from dried mushrooms*

1½ t. salt

4 eggs

Water, as needed

Mix flour, mushroom powder and salt. Stir in eggs, kneading until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be very stiff. Add a little water, as needed, to hold dough together. You may wish to mix the dough in a mixer or food processor. Cover dough and let rest  at least 15-20 minutes before rolling. Under kneading your dough will result in coarse, crumbly pasta. This batch makes about 1 pound. Serves 4-6.

Roll dough out on a well-floured board or with a pasta machine until desired thickness in reached. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into strips or whatever shapes are desired. You might want to let the noodles dry 1-hour or more before cooking, but this is not necessary. Pasta can be hung to dry or separated and allowed to dry flat on a table. When pasta is not hanging to dry it must be turned occasionally to dry evenly. Although you may hear otherwise, homemade pasta, even when dried, should be frozen for long term storage. Storing at room temperature can lead to spoilage. Fresh pasta can also be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Cooking fresh pasta happens quickly. For most noodles you are looking at 2-3 minutes at the most. Thicker cuts and ravioli would take a little longer. Watch it carefully. Drain after cooking, and toss with your favorite sauce.

*You might be tempted to powder up some store bought dried mushrooms. I would advise against that. Commercially dried mushrooms have not been washed before drying, so you might get dirt in your mushroom powder. I clean my mushrooms thoroughly before dehydrating.

Note: All electric pasta machines vary slightly and you should use their recipes as much as possible. Still, for most models, adding 1/4 c. flour for each cup in a hand rolled recipe works the best. Also recipes that contain seeds and vegetables may clog an electric pasta maker. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions.

The Mushroom Sauce

3 T. oil- I used avocado, but olive oil would be nice, too

3 c. sliced onions

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced

4 T. flour

1 c. chicken stock, or a bit more

1 c. half and half

salt and pepper to taste

2 t. fresh thyme leaves

Heat oil in a very large skillet and saute onions until golden. add the garlic and cook another minute. add the mushroom and cook until mushroom are tender. Mushrooms have a lot of water in them. Don’t freak if you start to get some in your pan. Add flour and stir until smooth. Stir in stock, half and half and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is thickened and bubbly. You might want a little more stock, if you like a thinner sauce. remember, the pasta will absorb some of the liquid, too.

Cook mushroom pasta. I only boiled mine for a minute, then drained it and added it to the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta and sauce together. Keep on low heat for a minute or two before serving. Serves 4-6.