Drunken Mushroom Spaghetti

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drunken mushroom spaghetti
  • 4Servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1–1  1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1  1/2 lbs. mixed fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, hen-of-the-woods and stemmed shiitake, wiped clean, then sliced
  • 2 large shallots, chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic, chopped or grated
  • 8–10 sage leaves, thinly sliced
  • About 2 tbsp. thyme, leaves stripped from stems and chopped
  • 1 lemon, zested (about 1  1/2 tsp.) and juiced (about 1/4 cup)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 lb. spaghetti
  • 1 bottle white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
  • About 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for passing
  • EVOO, for drizzling
  • 3–4 tbsp. chives, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. 

2. Place the dried porcinis in a small saucepan and add just enough stock to cover. Bring to a low boil over high, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until softened, 2 to 5 minutes. 

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, two turns of the pan, over medium-high. Add the butter and let it melt into the oil. Working in two batches, add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Return all the cooked mushrooms to the skillet; add the shallots, garlic, herbs and lemon zest to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes. 

4. Salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until a few minutes shy of al dente, about 5 minutes. 

5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the porcinis to a work surface; chop and add to the sauce. Pour in the soaking liquid, leaving any grit behind. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. 

6. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce; toss over medium-low until the pasta is al dente and absorbs some of the sauce, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the lemon juice and 1 cup cheese. Drizzle with EVOO to marry the sauce to the pasta. Top with the chives.