Quick info

  • Servings: 2
  • Total time: about 20 minutes
  • Equipment: large frying pan, hand blender with a beaker

Ingredients

  • Pappardelle: 160 g (5.6 oz). Choose egg-free pappardelle for a plant-based version
  • Mushrooms: 250 g (8.8 oz)
  • Cream: 125 ml (4.2 fl oz). I use plant-based cooking cream: Valsoia or Idee Veg Hoplà
  • Garlic: 1 clove
  • Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tablespoons
  • White wine: 2 tablespoons
  • Parsley: 3 sprigs
  • Salt: 3 pinches (2 for the mushrooms, 1 for the sauce; add 1 more pinch after tasting if needed)
  • Nutmeg: 3 turns of the grinder (plus 1 more turn after tasting if needed)
  • Water and salt: 2 liters (8.5 cups) of water and 14 g (0.5 oz, about 2½ teaspoons) of salt for cooking the pasta
Pappardelle with a creamy mushroom sauce, garnished with parsley

Method

  1. Put 2 liters (8.5 cups) of water on to boil in a saucepan, covered with a lid, over high heat.

  2. Prepare the mushrooms: clean 250 g (8.8 oz) of mushrooms, trimming any soil-covered ends off the stalks and wiping the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Cut them into slices about ½ cm (¼ in) thick.

  3. Cook the mushrooms with the garlic: peel 1 garlic clove, cut it in half lengthwise and remove the shoot from the center with the tip of a knife. Put both halves in the frying pan with 3 tablespoons of oil and heat over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes: the garlic should sizzle gently without browning. Add all the sliced mushrooms and stir to coat them evenly in the oil. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. If they release any water, wait until it has almost all evaporated before moving on.

  4. Deglaze with 2 tablespoons of white wine and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, until the liquid has reduced and the sharp smell of the wine has faded. Add 2 pinches of salt, stir and remove both halves of the garlic. Taste a mushroom to check that it’s cooked and seasoned to your liking: if it’s still too firm, cook for a few more minutes; if it needs more salt, add 1 small pinch. Turn off the heat when the mushrooms are ready.

  5. Cook the pappardelle: once the water is boiling, add 14 g (0.5 oz, about 2½ teaspoons) of salt and 160 g (5.6 oz) of pappardelle. Cook uncovered for the time given on the package, adjusting the heat to keep the water boiling. While the pasta cooks, wash and dry 3 sprigs of parsley, remove the thickest stalks and finely chop the leaves.

  6. Blend the sauce: take 5 pieces of cooked mushroom from the pan and put them in the blender cup. Add 125 ml (4.2 fl oz) of cream, 1 pinch of salt, 3 turns of the nutmeg grinder and 1 pinch of the chopped parsley. Blend until smooth. Taste and, if needed, add 1 small pinch of salt or 1 more turn of the nutmeg grinder. Blend briefly and taste again.

  7. Toss the pasta with the mushrooms: before draining the pasta, save 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) of the cooking water. Drain the pappardelle while they’re al dente and add them to the pan with the remaining mushrooms. Toss over medium heat for about 30 seconds.

  8. Add the sauce and the parsley: turn off the heat, pour in all the creamy mushroom sauce and toss well. If the pasta is too dry, add the reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time: use only as much as you need to coat the pasta evenly, without leaving any liquid at the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining parsley, saving 2 pinches for the garnish, and toss again.

  9. Plate up: divide the pasta between two plates. If any mushrooms are left in the pan, scoop them up with a spoon and arrange them in the center of each plate for a prettier finish. Sprinkle each plate with 1 pinch of the reserved parsley and serve straight away.