Three Mushroom Rigatoni Recipes

RIGATONI WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking:
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes until all the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese. Stir until creamy. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to coat pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives. Serve immediately.

CREAMY SAUSAGE-MUSHROOM RIGATONI

Steps:

• Cook rigatoni according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain and remove sausage from pan., In same skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, covered, 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid is evaporated., Stir in cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Return sausage to skillet; heat through. Drain pasta; serve with sauce. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

EGGPLANT AND MUSHROOM RIGATONI

Steps:

• In a large deep saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add eggplant and mushrooms. Cook for 10-14 minutes, occasionally stirring.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the tomato pasta and stir. Cook for one minute.
• Add the oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
• Deglaze the pan with the red wine; cook until most of the wine has been absorbed.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. Use the back of a spoon the break apart the tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• While the sauce is cooking, make the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water.
• Cook the pasta according to package direction.
• Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato sauce. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid. Gently toss to combine.
• Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
• Serve with fresh herbs.

THREE MUSHROOM RIGATONI

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan to high.
• Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Add salt and cook rigatoni to al dente.
• Place porcini in a small pot with about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, drop to simmer, and reduce liquid by half, 10 minutes.
• While pasta and porcini are working, pour about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil into a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to coat the portobellos in extra-virgin olive oil and place them on hot grill. Cook until dark and tender, 7 to 8 minutes, turning once. Remove and let rest.
• Heat a large deep skillet with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add shiitakes and cook a few minutes then add garlic and cook a couple minutes longer. Add wine and reduce a minute. Halve and slice portobellos then add to shiitakes. Scatter the rosemary into the pan and turn to distribute the herb. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes. Remove the porcini from steeping broth with a slotted spoon and chop. Stir mushrooms into sauce then add a few ladles of the steeping broth. Do not use the very last of it: any grit in the dried mushrooms will have settled to the bottom of the pot. Let flavors combine for a couple of minutes more.
• Drain pasta and add to warm pot. Grate some Romano down over the pasta and add a few ladles of the sauce to the pasta. Toss the pasta and sauce to coat, then transfer to a serving platter or into individual bowls and top with remaining sauce. Pass more cheese at table for topping, and bread for mopping. Yum-o!