Peppered Portobello Penne Recipes

PENNE PORTABELLA (COPYCAT OF PASTA POMODORO'S DISH)

Steps:

• Soak the dried porchini mushrooms in the hot water (about 10 minutes), then squeeze the liquid out of the mushrooms and chop it up. Be sure to reserve the tasty soaking water for the sauce!
• Prepare the sausage according to package directions (cooked throughly and browned), drain.
• Cook the pasta according to package directions as well, however, minus one to two minutes to finsh "cooking" in the sauce. Meanwhile start the sauce:.
• Heat up a large pan (large enough to fit the pasta in), add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, sautee garlic just until fragrant, add in cooked sausage, portobello mushrooms and porchini mushrooms, and (first add 1/4 cup) of the reserved porchini soaking water as well as the wine. Let this cook for a few minutes. If the portobello mushroom is still dry, add more of the reserved soaking water (add all if possible), cook until the portobello is browned and tender.
• Add cream and heat through, stirring to incorporate the flavors together. Next add the cooked pasta and arugula or spinach leaves, cook for a minute or two to let the pasta soak up the sauce and wilt the arugula or spinach.
• Taste and adjust seasoning, adding parmesan cheese then salt and pepper if desired.

PASTA WITH PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Trim hard parts from mushrooms and discard. Rinse mushrooms quickly to remove grit; cut caps into slices and stems into small chunks. Combine in a medium skillet with 1 clove garlic (crushed and peeled), thyme, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Cook over sufficiently low heat so that mixture bubbles but mushrooms do not brown. Continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until they are quite shrunken in size and appear firm, 30 to 45 minutes. (At this point, you can pause for several hours before resuming cooking.) If you are using porcinis, soak them in hot water to cover for a few minutes so that they soften.
• Set a large pot of water to boil for pasta and salt it. Mince remaining garlic. Turn heat under oil to medium, and add garlic to the portobellos along with the drained porcinis. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to color. Add tomatoes and raise heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they break up and become saucy, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta until it is tender but not mushy. Taste sauce and adjust its seasoning. When pasta is done, drain it, toss with sauce, top with Parmesan, and serve.

PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil; cook the sausages in the boiling water until no longer pink in the center, about 40 minutes. Cut the sausages into bite-sized pieces.
• Fill a large pot with lightly-salted water and bring to a boil. Stir the penne into the water and return to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well.
• Combine the tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, wine, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until the liquid is reduced to about half its original volume, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage and the drained pasta to the mixture and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced to about one-quarter its original volume, 10 to 15 minutes more. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the dish to serve.