Mushroom Pasta

I make this pasta at least once a week, it has become almost a staple food to me, and I can pretty much make it now in the time it takes to cook the Linguini. Creamy Pasta mmmmmmm

1. 1

   Boil kettle and add half a pint of water to the stock of your choice with the 15g Porcini, stir then leave to soak for 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Finely chop the onion or shallots and add to a pan on a medium heat with a glug of olive oil.

3. 3

   Chop the raw mushrooms (not the soaking porcini) into different sizes, some sliced, some cubed, etc.

4. 4

   Turn the pan down a bit.

5. 5

   Add 1 clove chopped garlic to the onion and stir.

6. 6

   Add the chopped mushrooms, stir and then add salt and pepper to help the mushrooms give up their juice and take on the pepper.

7. 7

   After 10 minutes of occasional stirring, your porcini should be nicely soaked.

8. 8

   Firstly, fill up the kettle and switch it on.

9. 9

   Using a sieve, strain the porcini soaking water (the half a pint) into the pan with everything else, and stir.

10. 10

    Empty the sieve onto a chopping board and chop the reserved porcini mushrooms up a bit then add them to the pan.

11. 11

    Be careful that you leave any grit from the porcini in the sieve and don't let it fall onto the chopping board else you risk adding it to the pan.

12. 12

    Turn the gas/heat back up to medium or higher as you want to start evaporating the liquid.

13. 13

    Pour the water from the kettle into a large saucepan, put it on the hob and add salt, wait till it comes back up to the boil, then add as much pasta as you want to the pan.

14. 14

    As the liquid stock reduces, your pasta should be cooking nicely.

15. 15

    When the liquid has almost gone, add 3/4's of a small pot of double cream to the pan and stir continuously.

16. 16

    If you have one use a silicone spatula as it's easier to get all the bits off the side of the pan and keeps the sides clean.

17. 17

    When the pasta is ready and the sauce is nice, thick and creamy, strain the pasta, then add it to the mushroom sauce pan along with a small amount of cooking water to loosen the sauce a bit.

18. 18

    Add parsley to the pan and stir, then serve with parmesan and garlic bread.