Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Pasta Food

BALSAMIC MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the fettuccine according to the directions on the package.
• While the pasta is cooking prepare the mushroom sauce. In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once melted, add the shallots and garlic and cook for a few minutes or so, just until softened. Add the sliced mushrooms and toss them around to get them coated in the butter and olive oil. If needed, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil if the mushrooms get too dry. Let them cook and brown for about 8 minutes.
• Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and stir everything together making sure to scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the other tablespoon of butter. Cook everything together for a couple of minutes and then turn off the heat and move the pan off the burner. Pour in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Add the cooked fettuccine to the sauce and toss to combine. Add the fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve with additional parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

CREAMY BALSAMIC MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Boil the pasta as per the package instructions.
• Slice the mushrooms as shown in the blog post.
• Heat olive oil in a pan and add mushrooms and garlic to it. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes on medium low heat until the mushrooms are cooked and start turning brown.
• Add the balsamic vinegar to the mushrooms and let this cook on low flame until the vinegar is reduced.
• Once the vinegar is completely reduced, add the whipping cream and mix everything. Let this cook (and come together) for not more than a minute.
• Add the boiled pasta, salt & pepper, thyme and cook this for another minute or two max and turn off the heat.
• Sprinkle some parmesan cheese and serve hot.

PASTA POMODORO FOR TWO

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes using an immersion blender or food processor. Set aside.
• In a saucepot over medium heat, combine the olive oil, pepper flakes and garlic. Gently toast the garlic until golden brown, being careful not to burn it. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer; simmer 5 to 8 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• Add the pasta to the pot with the sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, half of both cheeses and half of the basil and cook, tossing frequently, until the pasta is nicely coated. Season with salt if necessary.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the remaining cheese and basil and drizzle with olive oil.

CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan. Fry the onion over a low heat for 10 mins or until softened and translucent.
• Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 mins over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, reduce the liquid by half.
• Add the double cream and bring to a simmer, then add the lemon zest and parmesan. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Reserve 100ml of the pasta water. Toss the pasta in the pan with the creamy sauce and enough of the reserved water to loosen. Stir through the parsley, divide into bowls and top with extra cheese, if you like.

CREAMY TUSCAN PASTA SAUCE WITH CHICKEN AND BALSAMIC MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Set out cream cheese to soften. Then prepare your chicken. Precooked chicken strips are very easy, and this would also be a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken, by dicing into bite-sized pieces. Or you can bake or pan-fry your chicken breasts and then cut into bite sized pieces.
• Prepare the balsamic mushrooms. First, in a small dish, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water, set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and salt and stir right away with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms have absorbed all the fat.
• Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed for 2 minutes and then stir once. The pan will look dry, but keep the heat at medium-high and continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until the mushrooms are shrunken, glistening, and some sides have developed a deep orange-brown color, 6 to 7 minutes more.
• Turn the heat to low, add the garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Carefully add the balsamic mixture. Cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glazey consistency that coats the mushrooms, 15 to 20 seconds. Season with pepper. Set aside mushrooms.
• Prep remaining ingredients - shred parmesan, mince garlic (or use garlic press), halve cherry tomatoes, julienne-slice basil leaves into thin strips, boil pasta.
• In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Stir in the dried basil. Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
• Over medium heat, add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt, and half of the fresh basil. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency, 5-10 minutes.
• Plate! Layer pasta, then chicken, then mushrooms, then sauce, and top with cherry tomatoes and remaining fresh basil.