Creamy Mushroom Pappardelle

Here's a quick-and-easy mushroom pasta that's perfect for any day of the week. It's a great dinner for one, eaten straight from the pan.

Serves 2

Active time: 45 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, divided

8 ounces (225 grams) mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 shallot, minced

½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine like Pinot Grigio

½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

½ ounce (15 grams) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

½ lemon, zested and juiced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme and/or rosemary, for serving

8 ounces (225 grams) fresh pappardelle or pasta of choice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
   

2. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, warm the oil and 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring often, until most of their moisture is gone and they begin to brown, 15 minutes (if the pan is getting very dark, turn down the heat and add a splash of water to deglaze). Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.
   

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then melt the remaining butter. Cook the garlic and shallot until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
   

4. Add the wine, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
   

5. Stir in the cream and add the mushrooms back to the pan. Simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste.
   

6. While the cream simmers, generously salt the boiling water. Drop in the pappardelle, stir, and cook until tender or to your liking, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

7. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Turn off the heat, then add the cheese and a splash of cooking water. Toss until melted and creamy. Stir in the lemon zest and juice.
   

8. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the herbs, lots of black pepper, and more cheese. Enjoy immediately.