Mushroom Pasta with Garlic, Lemon and Thyme Drizzled with Truffle Oil

12:14:00 Unknown 1 Comments

My boyfriend and I were given some truffle oil before Christmas, but today was the first time I found a match for it. The wonderful nutty flavour of the chestnut mushrooms sings with truffle oil, and so our new truffle oil's first run was a success. I adapted this recipe from a Nigella recipe that I found searching for a quick mushroom pasta dish. As decadent as the cheese and truffle oil makes this pasta seem, keeping the sauce cream-free, really lifts it and keeps it from feeling too heavy. I will definitely be making this dish again, especially since it is so quick to make; perfect after a long day of school or work. You can easily omit the truffle oil for a cheaper option, but keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way so it may be worth the investment. Now that I have used it once I predict far more truffle oil recipes in my future. I still remember my family's road trip down the California coast in 2008. We stopped in Sonoma and stayed at a quaint little place. We were served up an enormous helping of chips (french fries) dressed in truffle oil and grated parmesan. The incredible umami, salty and creamy combination is still so vivid in my memory. This dish brought me right back to the leafy outdoor seating in Sonoma.

Ingredients Serves 2-3 
250g of chestnut mushrooms
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp of salt
black pepper to taste
250g of pasta, normally I would use tagliatelle (not pictured)
1 fat clove of garlic, minced
1 handful of fresh basil, cut into thin strips
2-3 heaped tbsp of vegetarian (or regular) parmesan
4 sprigs of fresh thyme (or a generous pinch of dried thyme)
about 1-2 tbsp of truffle oil



Preparation

1. Cook your pasta according to packet instructions. 
2. On a medium heat melt a generous knob of butter with a little bit of oil to prevent it from burning. Once fully melted, add the mushrooms. 
3. Then add the garlic, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
4. Sauté the ingredients until the mushrooms are golden brown. 
5. Then add the lemon juice. 
6. Right before serving, add the basil and parmesan cheese. 
7. Plate up the mushrooms on top of the tagliatelle. 
8. Drizzle with the truffle oil (a little goes a long way, so go slow). 
9. Garnish with some chilli flakes. 
10. Enjoy!