Crafts and Life

2 tbs rapeseed or olive oil
A knob of butter
500g mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and thickly sliced
150g risoni or orzo pasta
2 garlic cloves, chopped
A few sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
About 75ml dry white wine
About 50ml double cream or creme fraiche
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to serve

Method

Put a large pan of well-salted water on to boil, so that you are ready to cook the pasta while the sauce is coming together.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and half the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.  Add half the mushrooms and cook briskly, stirring often, until all the liquid released has evaporated and the mushrooms are starting to caramalise.  Transfer to a dish and repeat with the rest of the oil, butter and mushrooms.  (Cooking in two batches like this avoids overcrowding the pan and ensures the mushrooms do not stew.)

When the second batch of mushrooms are nearly cooked, add the pasta to the pan of boiling water and cook until al dente.

Return the first lot of mushrooms to the frying pan.  Add the garlic, thyme and balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.  Add the wine and cook until there is almost no liquid left.  Add the cream or creme fraiche, reduce the heat a little and stir until it is just about simmering.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the pasta as soon as it is cooked, add to the mushroom mixture and toss well.  Serve scattered with lots of chopped parsley.

Serves 2 – taken from River Cottage Veg Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall