I am a huge fan of Barefoot Contessa-always have been for as long as I can remember. Ina Garten’s recipes are foolproof, simple with a minimalistic approach that is unmatched and a major focus on fresh, quality ingredients. She places great emphasis on technique and development of flavors with just Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper as the main seasonings, and for most of her amazing recipes, the only seasonings. Yet her ability to layer and pair ingredients together and build a depth of flavor in all her recipes is truly magical. This Spiced Linguine with White Truffle Butter and Mushrooms’ recipe is, in essence, Ina Garten’s recipe.
In her original recipe, she use Fettuccine pasta, but it really doesn’t matter which pasta you use, as the sauce is everything here! Luscious, creamy, silky, nutty and so good! I decided to add a sprinkle of spice with paprika and pour a bit of vegetable stock into the cream sauce for just the right consistency and WOW! This has become one of our favorite pasta recipes. Earthy mushrooms sautéed in some butter and olive oil gives the perfect bite. Fresh linguine is cooked for just a few minutes to ensure a slightly chewy finish. The pasta is then coated in a most flavorful cream sauce with a very fragrant white truffle butter that has a sweet note balanced by a bit of a mellow garlicky taste. The addition of fresh chives in this recipe further enhances these amazing flavors. Serving this elegant pasta dish with some fried, seasoned chicken mince meatballs is a very good idea indeed. It’s almost like a fancy spaghetti and meatballs dinner, but so unique! Delicious is an understatement!
Spiced Linguine with White Truffle Butter and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 18 oz fresh Linguine *or Fettuccine (2 packages of fresh pasta)
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white truffle butter
- 16 oz fresh mushrooms *sliced, cremini, shiitake, white
- 4 tbsp fresh chives *chopped
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese *grated
- ¾ tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp black pepper *freshly cracked
- Kosher salt *to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook fresh linguine in salted, boiling water, per package instructions. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly, approximately 2-3 minutes. Strain and set aside. *Please do not overcook!
- Melt butter + olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring as needed, until mushrooms have softened and liquid has evaporated. Add Kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper and half of the chopped chives, mix to combine and set mushrooms aside (I spoon them out onto a plate so I can use the same skillet for the cream sauce).
- Wipe same skillet with a paper towel and heat on medium high heat. Add cream and bring to a boil. Then turn heat to medium, add vegetable stock and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring as needed, until sauce slightly thickens. Now add paprika and stir to combine. Add white truffle butter, turn heat to low and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Now add grated Parmesan cheese and mix to combine and cook for a final 2-3 minutes until well-incorporated and cheese melts to create a smooth sauce. Add sautéed mushrooms to cream sauce and gently stir. Add cooked linguine and remaining chopped chives and carefully mix all ingredients together.
- Luscious, creamy, nutty and simply fabulous Linguine with White Truffle Butter and Mushrooms is now ready to serve. A very simple dinner for any weeknight, yet elegant enough for a fancy dinner to entertain guests. Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.