Pappardelle with Mushrooms

Pappardelle with Mushrooms is elegant comfort food. Created by LIJ Medical Center’s culinary team, it’s a dish to look forward to at the end the day–especially now that the days are getting shorter.

Besides a fresh mushroom blend, Pappardelle with Mushrooms uses dried porcini mushrooms. Fresh porcini are highly prized, but can be pricey. Dried porcini are more affordable and last longer, too.

Cooking mushrooms releases more of their nutrients. Mushrooms are low-calorie and offer potassium and other minerals (depending on the variety) riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Potassium helps your muscles contract, helps regulate fluids and mineral balance in and out of body cells and helps maintain normal blood pressure, according the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The organization adds that potassium may also reduce the risk of recurrent kidney stones and age-related bone loss.

Servings: 4
Calories: 393. Sodium: 585 mg
Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup, dried porcini mushrooms
• 2/3 cup, boiling water
• 8 oz., pappardelle
• 2 ¼ tsp., salt
• 1 Tbsp., olive oil
• ¼ cup, shallots finely chopped
• 8 oz., exotic mushroom blend – sliced
• 2 each, garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp., dry sherry
• 2 oz., parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1/8 cup, vegetable broth
• 1 tsp., fresh sage chopped
• ½ tsp., cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp., truffle oil (optional)

Directions:

1. Rinse the porcini mushrooms thoroughly and place in 2/3 cup of boiled water. Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, reserving ¼ cup of the soaking liquid. Roughly chop the porcini and set them aside.
2. Cook pasta–two minutes less than package directions–in boiling water with 2 tsp. salt. Drain and reserve 1/8 cup of pasta water.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, exotic mushroom blend and garlic. Sauté about 5 minutes (until the garlic is lightly browned), stirring frequently. Reduce heat and add the porcini mushrooms and sherry wine. Simmer until the liquid evaporates.
4. Stir in the pasta, ¼ cup of cooking liquid, ¼ cup soaking liquid, grated cheese, vegetable broth, chopped sage, and pepper.
5. Mix well and simmer for approximately 2 minutes. If desired, drizzle with truffle oil.

This post was written by Nancy Copperman, RD, director of public health initiatives in the office of community health of the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

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