Mushroom and Fettuccine Fauxfredo
Sorry about the Rachael Ray-esque title.
1 lb crimini or button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 cup Italian parsley
1 tablespoon bacon fat or olive oil, or combo thereof
1 generous swig dry white wine
salt
pepper
¼ tsp dried thyme or oregano
1 sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
¾ cup cream cheese
½ - 1 cup grated Locatelli cheese
splash of whey, if you have any left over from making Greek yogurt
black pepper
½ lb fettuccine (or other long, flat pasta) cooked just shy of al dente. Save some cooking water for use if the finished product is too dry.
Sauté mushrooms over medium high heat without any fat or seasonings in a large non-stick skillet for 3 minutes or so to cook off some of the water in them.
Reduce heat to medium, and add fat, garlic, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for another 3 or 4 minutes until garlic begins to soften. Then, add half of the parsley, wine, thyme, and more s & p if necessary. Cook until wine is absorbed and garlic is soft. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and reduce heat to keep warm until mushrooms are needed.
In a saucepan, over low heat, whisk together chicken broth, cream cheese, Locatelli cheese, whey (if you have it – it adds a nice dairy tang), and black pepper until it is as smooth as you can get it. Whisk periodically as cream cheese melts. It will get smoother through the process. Be careful not to let it boil. Keep it nice and low. Voila, fauxfredo sauce!
Speaking of whey, you can add some to the pasta cooking water to help flavor it. Be sure to keep a sharp eye on it and only partially cover the pot as the water comes to a boil. It foams up and boils over very easily. You will have a huge mess on your hands. You will be sorry.
Combine pasta and sauce in the large skillet with the mushrooms. Top with the rest of the parsley and let everything cook together over low heat for a few minutes. If there is not enough sauce, or if you think it has become too gluey, add some of the pasta cooking water or more chicken broth.
Add more Locatelli and black pepper when serving.
Super umami!
-Elena
1 lb crimini or button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 cup Italian parsley
1 tablespoon bacon fat or olive oil, or combo thereof
1 generous swig dry white wine
salt
pepper
¼ tsp dried thyme or oregano
1 sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
¾ cup cream cheese
½ - 1 cup grated Locatelli cheese
splash of whey, if you have any left over from making Greek yogurt
black pepper
½ lb fettuccine (or other long, flat pasta) cooked just shy of al dente. Save some cooking water for use if the finished product is too dry.
Sauté mushrooms over medium high heat without any fat or seasonings in a large non-stick skillet for 3 minutes or so to cook off some of the water in them.
Reduce heat to medium, and add fat, garlic, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for another 3 or 4 minutes until garlic begins to soften. Then, add half of the parsley, wine, thyme, and more s & p if necessary. Cook until wine is absorbed and garlic is soft. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and reduce heat to keep warm until mushrooms are needed.
In a saucepan, over low heat, whisk together chicken broth, cream cheese, Locatelli cheese, whey (if you have it – it adds a nice dairy tang), and black pepper until it is as smooth as you can get it. Whisk periodically as cream cheese melts. It will get smoother through the process. Be careful not to let it boil. Keep it nice and low. Voila, fauxfredo sauce!
Speaking of whey, you can add some to the pasta cooking water to help flavor it. Be sure to keep a sharp eye on it and only partially cover the pot as the water comes to a boil. It foams up and boils over very easily. You will have a huge mess on your hands. You will be sorry.
Combine pasta and sauce in the large skillet with the mushrooms. Top with the rest of the parsley and let everything cook together over low heat for a few minutes. If there is not enough sauce, or if you think it has become too gluey, add some of the pasta cooking water or more chicken broth.
Add more Locatelli and black pepper when serving.
Super umami!
-Elena
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