Pasta with Mushrooms in Creamy Mustard Sauce

Mushrooms, spinach, good mustard and eating alfresco - these are just few of my favorite things. How lovely to have them all together in one dish! (Note, this dish will work even if you can’t dine outside, but I’m SO EXCITED that Spring if finally making an attempt!Spring: another of my favorite things.)

I warned that there would be mushrooms, and this recipe is highlights them in the most beautiful way.  What are some of your favorite “go to” ingredients?

Cooking the mushrooms is the most time consuming part of this; it took three batches in my 10" cast iron skillet. You want to give them plenty of room to cook and brown. They can touch when you first add them, but they should be in a single layer. They shrink, so by the time they are good and browned, you'll have lots of room in the pan.

Look at all the fungus-y goodness!

Ingredients

• 16 oz. mixed mushrooms, such as crimini, shiitake (a wild mushroom mix would be amazing in this)
• About 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used “cooking wine”, but recommend using a nice white wine that you’d be willing to drink)
• 1 Tbsp. grainy mustard 
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 oz wide ribbon pasta (I used Pappardelle, Fettuccine or linguini would work well too)
• 6 oz fresh spinach (optional)
• 1/2 cup Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

• Saute the mushrooms: Add butter to a large skillet and melt. Add about 1/3  of your mushrooms and arrange in a single layer (they should all lay flat.) Allow to cook until the underside is nice and golden. Flip over and brown the other side. Once golden brown on both sides, remove mushrooms to a bowl and repeat with remainder of the mushrooms (add more butter each time).
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil for your pasta. When water is boiling, salt well and add pasta. Cook according to cooking instructions.
• When all mushrooms are browned and as pasta boils, wipe out your skillet and return all the mushrooms to the pan. Re-heat over medium heat until warmed through. Add wine and allow to simmer until wine reduces by half. Add grainy mustard and dried tarragon or thyme. Stir well to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the cream, half of the grated Parmesan, a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper and stir well to combine (pasta should be just about cooked by now. If not, remove pan from heat until pasta is ready).
• Remove/reserve 1 cup of pasta boiling water from pot then drain pasta and add to skillet with mushrooms and sauce. Add about 1/3 of a cup of the reserved pasta water. (Don't be like me, I wasn't paying attention and added the entire cup of water - it was fun, but more runny than I'd have liked) Over medium heat, cook, tossing the pasta in the sauce, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the pasta. I also threw in a few handfuls of fresh spinach here. Add more pasta water if necessary. Add the freshly chopped parsley and toss with pasta.
• Remove pasta to serving plates or bowls. Serve garnished with the additional grated Parmesan and a finishing sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper as needed. 



A note from my Honey - another favorite thing.

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