Best 4 Pasta With Mushrooms Walnuts Asparagus And Apples Recipes

BAKED ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 7x11-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook gemelli at a boil until flexible but still firm to the bite, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and stir for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to soften and asparagus is bright green, about 4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the vegetable mixture into a large mixing bowl. Drain pasta and stir into the bowl.
• Melt butter in the same skillet. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Pour in milk, stirring briskly to avoid lumps. Continue to stir until sauce thickens and bubbles again, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and provolone cheese until melted.
• Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and vegetables and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Taste and adjust seasonings. Toss remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano with bread crumbs and sprinkle over the casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

FETTUCCINE WITH MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• 1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons salt.
• 2. While waiting for the water to boil, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper flakes and sauté quickly to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms darken slightly in color and are softened but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and asparagus and cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, immediately reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, and cook for several minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan over low heat, shaking the pan, just until they are warm and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• 4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil (10 minutes if you are using pappardelle).
• 5. Add the basil, butter, pine nuts, and cheese to the pan with the mushrooms and toss well.
• 6. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta's cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms, asparagus, and sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more pepper flakes if necessary.
• 7. Present the pasta in a bowl and serve family style from the center of the table, or divide among individual plates.
• Your Nightly Specials
• Mushrooms: Instead of using the cremini, use 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms.
• Dried Mushrooms: Dried mushrooms like porcini, morel, and chanterelle offer a quick way to add flavor to cooking and are especially useful in the off season or winter months. Always rinse dried mushrooms under cold running water to remove any lingering dirt and sand, then reconstitute them in hot water for 20 minutes, drain, and strain the liquid. Save the liquid for soups and sauces. Keeping a small packet of dried mushrooms, which costs just a few dollars, in your pantry will five earthy flavor on demand.
• Use a spice grinder to grind dried porcini to a powder. This seasoning powder will very economically make a full pot of risotto taste like a much more costly version, something many restaurants do to make flavors pop. Add 1 tablespoon to the finished mushrooms for a powerful and full flavor at an economical price.
• Porcini Mushrooms: Fresh porcini are among the most delicious of mushrooms. When they are available each fall, by all means use them, although they are expensive and need to be cooked as quickly as possible because they are highly perishable.
• Add 1/2 cup of blanched and shocked fresh or frozen peas, spincach, and/or broccoli buds.
• Toss some shredded, leftover roasted turkey or duck meat into the pan along with the cooked pasta.

WHOLE-GRAIN PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS, ASPARAGUS AND FAVAS

Steps:

• Begin heating a large pot of water while you shell the favas. Fill a bowl with cold water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the asparagus. Blanch thin stalks for 3 minutes, thicker ones for 4 to 5. Transfer to the cold water, drain and cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Bring the water back to a boil and add the favas. Boil 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the beans. Drain and transfer immediately to the cold water. Allow the beans to cool for several minutes, then slip off their skins by pinching off the eye of the skin and squeezing gently.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the shallot. Cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes, and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have begun to soften and sweat, about 3 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, fragrant and juicy, another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and favas and remove from the heat but keep warm.
• Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente, using the timing instructions on the package as a guide but checking the pasta a minute before the time indicated is up. When the pasta is ready, use a ladle to transfer 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the vegetables and another 1/2 cup to a bowl, in case you want more to moisten the mixture. Drain the pasta and toss at once with the vegetables and basil. Add more of the cooking water if desired. Serve hot, passing the Parmesan at the table.

TAGLIATELLE WITH MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Remove the tough ends of the asparagus spears and chop into 1-inch pieces. Reserve the tips.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-low heat and cook garlic until light golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add asparagus pieces and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and coat well with oil. Pour in wine and cook until liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Add reserved asparagus tips and cook for 2 minutes. Discard garlic and season sauce with salt and pepper.
• In the meantime, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook tagliatelle at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
• Add tagliatelle to pot with the sauce, toss, and cook everything over high heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and add some cooking water to thin sauce. Distribute tagliatelle on serving plates and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.