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