Creamy Mushroom Brandy Pasta

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb mixed mushrooms (Sliced about 1/4 inch thick; baby bella or white button mushrooms may be used instead.)
• olive oil (Regular olive oil, plus more as needed for sautéing.)
• kosher salt (To taste for the mushrooms and sauce.)
• black pepper (To taste.)
• 1 medium onion (Diced.)
• 0.25 tsp hot red pepper flakes (Optional; the source says to add a little spice if desired.)
• 3 oz tomato paste (Fried briefly in the oil before adding the brandy.)
• 1 cup brandy (Keep your face away from the pan when adding alcohol.)
• 1.25 cup heavy cream
• water (Reserved pasta water; about 1 cup is initially added to the sauce, with more used as needed.)
• kosher salt for pasta water (The source specifies 2 tablespoons per gallon of water.)
• 1 lb spaghetti (Cook to 1 minute less than al dente; the source recommends De Cecco.)
• 0.5 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (Grated; added off the heat.)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (Minced; added off the heat.)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the mushrooms about 1/4 inch thick and dice the onion. Mince the parsley and grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Keep the mushrooms ready in batches, since the source cooks the 1 1/2 pounds in three batches.

2. 2

   Heat a large, preferably 14-inch pan over medium heat, about 4 out of 10, for approximately 3 minutes. Add regular olive oil once the pan is hot.

3. 3

   Add the first batch of mushrooms, spreading them out as much as possible. Leave them undisturbed long enough to sear, then flip or stir them so they can continue releasing their water and browning.

4. 4

   Season the mushrooms lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook the batch for about 6–8 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their water and developed brown color.

5. 5

   Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a dish and tent them with foil. Repeat the oiling, searing, seasoning, and cooking process with the remaining mushrooms in two additional batches. The source says all three batches take approximately 15–20 minutes total.

6. 6

   Reduce the pan heat to medium-low, about 3 out of 10. Add the diced onion to the pan, adding a little more olive oil because the pan may be dry. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes, allowing it to pick up the browned bits from the mushrooms.

7. 7

   If using the optional red pepper flakes, add about 1/4 teaspoon after the onion has softened. If adding garlic as an optional variation, the source says to add it at this point and cook it for a few more minutes; garlic is not part of the author's version.

8. 8

   Add the tomato paste. Fry it in the oil for approximately 3–5 minutes to deepen its flavor, adding a little more olive oil if the pan does not contain enough.

9. 9

   Increase the heat to medium-high. Keeping your head and face away from the pan, pour in the brandy. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

10. 10

    Let the brandy reduce until the liquid has reduced by about half and the strong alcohol smell has cooked off, approximately 1 1/2–2 minutes.

11. 11

    Lower the heat to medium or medium-low. Add the heavy cream and bring the sauce up to a simmer.

12. 12

    Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it using the source's ratio of 2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water. Do not add oil to the pasta water.

13. 13

    Add the spaghetti to the boiling salted water. Stir it during the first 30 seconds to 1 minute after it begins to soften so it does not stick.

14. 14

    Add about 1 cup of the pasta water to the simmering cream sauce. The exact amount is not critical because more pasta water may be added later to thin the sauce.

15. 15

    Let the sauce bubble gently at about 4 out of 10 until it thickens. Taste it, then season with approximately 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper, adjusting as needed.

16. 16

    Lower the sauce heat to about 2 out of 10, or turn it off if it has reached the desired thickness. Cook the spaghetti until it is 1 minute less than al dente, then remove it fairly wet, reserving additional pasta water.

17. 17

    Add the slightly undercooked spaghetti and the cooked mushrooms to the sauce. Toss everything together with tongs, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

18. 18

    Cook the pasta and sauce together over medium heat, tossing with the tongs until the sauce clings to the spaghetti and the pasta reaches al dente. Taste to confirm the pasta is fully cooked.

19. 19

    Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and minced parsley, then toss to combine before serving.

Notes

The author uses a special mushroom blend but recommends baby bella or white button mushrooms as alternatives. The source does not include garlic, although it says garlic may be added after the onion if desired. The exact amount of pasta water is flexible; reserve extra so the finished sauce can be thinned as needed. The source does not state a specific storage or reheating method.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• Italian-inspired
• vegetarian
• creamy
• stovetop
• brandy
• mushrooms