Mighty mushroom pasta | Daily Mail Online

Mighty mushroom pasta

Sweet tomato & Parmesan sauce, garlicky hazelnut breadcrumbs 

Mighty mushroom pasta 

SERVES 4

20 MINUTES

  • 50g stale breadcrumbs
  • olive oil
  • 20g blanched hazelnuts
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 400g mixed mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • 1 x 400g tin of quality plum tomatoes
  • 300g dried penne
  • 30g Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

Tip the breadcrumbs into a medium nonstick frying pan on a low heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Lightly crush the hazelnuts in a pestle and mortar, add to the pan, then peel and finely grate in 2 cloves of garlic and strip in the thyme leaves. Toss regularly throughout the pasta and sauce process, until golden and crisp.

Place a large nonstick frying pan on a high heat, then tear or roughly slice the mushrooms (depending on their size and shape) and dry-fry for 1 minute (this will bring out their nutty flavour). Peel, finely chop and add the remaining garlic, with the chilli flakes and 1 tablespoon of oil, then cook for 3 minutes, tossing regularly. Scrunch in the tomatoes, add 1 tin’s worth of water and leave to tick away. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water.

Finely grate the Parmesan, then toss with the pasta and sauce, loosening with a splash of reserved cooking water, if needed. Season to taste, and top with the toasty hot sprinkle and a fine grating of Parmesan.

You can easily add a creamy dimension to the sauce by adding 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche or cream, which is super-delicious and indulgent.

TO MAKE VEGETARIAN 

Swap Parmesan for vegetarian hard cheese.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

465 kcal; 15.5g fat (3.4g saturated); 17.5g protein; 68.1g carbs; 6.3g sugars; 0.4g salt; 5.6g fibre

 

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