Sometimes we all just need a comforting bowl of pasta. Pasta with Mushrooms and Prosciutto is the way to go.
Mushroom Power
I love using mushrooms in my fall and winter dishes. I really went all out with the mushrooms here. You can use any combination you like, but I went for baby shiitake, maitake and oyster mushrooms. For even more mushroom flavor, I also used dried porcinis. I love how the mushrooms provide earthy, meaty flavor and great texture.
The porcinis actually bring mushroom flavor to this pasta in two ways. Whenever you use dried mushrooms, you must rehydrate them with hot water. After rehydrating these mushrooms, you’re left with a flavorful mushroom broth of sorts. I used this broth to flavor the mushrooms and noodles. You never want to miss a good flavor opportunity.
Can you believe there’s cream in here?
Well, there is, but there’s no heavy, thick cream sauce. The noodles suck up most of the flavorful sauce components. They are just perfectly coated in all the goodness with just a little sauce left on the bottom of the plate.
This pasta actually has a lot going on that you wouldn’t notice just by looking at it. I used shallots, thyme, dry marsala wine, butter and good quality parmigiano reggiano cheese to make this pasta dish extra delicious.
Pappardelle. Why?
Well, I’m an honest person. Don’t take credit where it’s not due. While researching pasta ideas I came across this beauty by Bon Appetit. I love their pappardelle pasta dish with mushrooms and prosciutto so much, I had to make my own version of it.
I typically use pappardelle pasta when I make meaty ragus, but this noodle is great here because it really stands up against the hearty mushroom. If you can’t find pappardelle, don’t fret. A standard fettucine or tagliatelle would be great too. Just make this pasta. It’s really good. I promise.
Pasta with Mushrooms and Prosciutto
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Sometimes we all just need a comforting bowl of pasta. Pasta with Mushrooms and Prosciutto is the way to go.
Ingredients
- 12oz pappardelle pasta (can substitute tagliatelli or fettucine)
- ½ oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6oz thick cut prosciutto, cut into ½ inch cubes (ask deli to cut ½ inch thick piece)
- 5 tbsp butter, divided
- 12oz mixed mushrooms, stems removed, roughly torn (I used baby shitake, maitake & oyster)
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup dry marsala wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup (0.5oz) freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, plus more for topping
- Chives, finely chopped, for garnish
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
1. Get pot ready: Bring a large pot of water to a boil while preparing ingredients. Keep warm over medium heat until ready to use.
2. Rehydrate mushrooms: Add dried mushrooms to a liquid measuring cup. Pour in enough boiling water to fill to 2 cups. Set aside.
3. Crisp prosciutto: Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, followed by prosciutto. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until crispy on all sides. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Discard any chunks that are completely fat.
4. Cook mushrooms & shallot: Add two tablespoons of butter to pan and melt over medium high heat. Add mushrooms in a single layer, browning in batches if needed. Do not salt at this point. Allow mushrooms to brown on first side, 2-3 minutes. Brown on opposite side. Season with salt. Remove rehydrated mushrooms from water, roughly chop and add to pan. Add another tablespoon of butter, followed by shallot and thyme. Season with salt. Cook 4-5 minutes until shallot is translucent.
5. Deglaze: Add wine and reduce by half. Decant mushroom water into new container, leaving behind grit on bottom of cup. Ladle a cup of mushroom water into pan and reduce by half.
6. Cook pasta: While mushroom water is reducing, bring pasta water back to a boil and season heavily with salt. Add pasta to water, stirring occasionally. Cook two minutes short of package directions until very al dente.
7. Finish: Add pasta to pan with mushrooms. Pour in cream and toss to coat. Bring to a simmer and reduce until a few tablespoons of excess liquid remain. Turn off heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cheese. Toss butter and cheese are melted and emulsified with sauce. The sauce should cling to the pasta with a few tablespoons of excess sauce on the bottom of the pan. Adjust with pasta water or more mushroom water, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dishes, top with chives and additional cheese, and enjoy.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of pasta
- Calories: 670
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 71g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
I would love this with a glass of red wine.
Yes, that would be perfect!
A nice mix of mushrooms, extra kick from dried porcini and a hint of cream to bring it all together. Awesome!
Thanks so much, Romain!