Finally…it’s officially spring! I am really getting tired of the cold weather and I need some nice, warm spring weather in my life. Unfortunately, the weather this week isn’t looking so great, but I have hope for the following week!
This past weekend was a good one. I was very busy but I’d rather be busy having fun than not busy and bored. I spent all day Saturday getting my Group Exercise certification. The course included both a practical and written exam. I think I passed both but I won’t find out officially for another 4-6 weeks! I actually had fun and I am really looking forward to begin teaching some exercise classes at fitness centers! woo! After my certification course, I went out to dinner at Luke Palladino for Todd’s Dad’s Birthday. We ordered quite an array of different items from the menu and everything was delicious. We had a really nice time.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get home until pretty late and I had to be up at the crack of dawn to get my long run in before coaching crew for the day. I managed to get myself up even though it was still dark outside (the bad part of daylight savings time!). It actually wasn’t too bad and I got in a fantastic 17-miler. Fortunately I was coaching right in the same area where I ran so I just ended my run right where I had to be. Anyway, the team had their first Manny Flick (which is a small regatta) on Sunday. All of our boats did amazing…we had 4 boats finish in first, 1 boat finish in 2nd and 1 boat finish in 3rd. It was great to participate in the first manny flick of the season. Now we are getting into the swing of racing and the team is beginning to set some goals for the coming weeks! Pretty exciting!
Now, onto some food!
In celebration of spring, I have a delicious, light, and healthy pasta dish to share.
Last week I made Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms and Parmesan which I based off a recipe from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques cookbook. Check out some of the other amazing recipes that I have made so far from this cookbook: herb-roasted pork loin with mustard breadcrumbs,Roasted Kabocha Squash & Fennel Soup, & Winter Squash Risotto with Radicchio and Parmesan.
Goin’s original recipe calls for the addition of shell beans, but I decided to leave this out to keep things more simple. Two of my favorite things about this dish are definitely the toasted breadcrumbs and the shaved Parmesan toppings…they both add great texture and taste. I also added lemon zest to give this dish an even fresher taste. I think that this is a perfect spring pasta recipe. Keep your eyes out for different varieties of mushrooms and give them a shot. This dish will be even better if you branch out and try something other than the typical white mushroom! As a note, I thought that the leftovers tasted even better than when I had the dish the first night…so make sure you make plenty to have for leftovers!
Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms & Parmesan
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 3/4 lb. dry pappardelle noodles
- 1 cup sliced shallots
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1-1.5 cups mushroom/vegetable/chicken stock or pasta water (I used pasta water)
- 4 ounces baby spinach
- 1/4 chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 lb. hunk Parmigiano-Reggiano, for shaving
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 Tablespoons of Lemon Zest (this is not called for in original recipe–I added this)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put a large pot of heavily salted water on to boil.
- If the mushrooms are big, cut or break them into bite-sized pieces. Keep in mind they will shrink once they are cooked.
- Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil, and wait a minute. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, and when it foams, scatter half the mushrooms into the pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a healthy pinch of pepper. Saute the mushrooms about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and a little crispy. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate and repeat with the second half of mushrooms (you may have to add a little bit more of olive oil to the pan).
- While the mushrooms are cooking, toss the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden brown.
- Drop the pasta in the boiling salted water, and cook the noodles until al dente (Reserve at least 1 1/2 cups of cooking water).
- While the pasta is cooking, return the mushroom pan to the stove over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of butter, and when it foams, add the shallots, garlic, and thyme. Cook a minute or two, and add the cooked mushrooms. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring to combine well.
- Pour in 1 cup of the stock or pasta water, and add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss gently, using tongs and a wooden spoon, and cook 3-4 minute to coat the pasta with the juices. Taste for seasoning. Add more stock of pasta water if the noodles seem dry. Remember, the pasta will keep absorbing liquid, so make sure it’s juicy enough when you plate it.
- Quickly toss in the spinach, chopped parsley, & lemon zest.
- Transfer the pasta to a large warm plate. Using a vegetable peeler, shave some Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top, and shower the dish with the toasted breadcrumbs.
Question: What is your favorite kind of mushroom?
As I’ve mentioned before, I used to hate mushrooms. However, around the time my boyfriend started working for a mushroom company, I began to LOVE mushrooms. I haven’t met a mushroom I don’t like.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
You girls are always so busy! I give you credit for being so active
I’m also a huge fan of mushrooms, especially in pasta. This dish looks amazing!
yay for busy-ness! and mushrooms. ALSO: yay for less than one month to boston