Pull up a chair while I tell you about this wonderful mushroom pasta dish that's been filling Italian kitchens with amazing smells for generations. Nothing fancy here – just good tagliatelle pasta mixed with beautiful mushrooms. None of that heavy tomato sauce business, just earthy mushrooms and a touch of cream that lets everything shine through.
You know how some recipes get all complicated? Not this one. It's the kind of meal you can make while chatting with family at the kitchen table. The mushrooms do most of the work, lending their woodsy flavor to the pasta, and when you add that splash of cream – well, that's when the magic happens.
I've been making this dish for longer than I care to remember, and let me tell you – it works just as well for a quiet Tuesday night supper as it does for when the neighbors pop round. The trick is to let those mushrooms get properly golden before you do anything else. Just like my old mama used to say: "Patience makes the mushrooms sweeter."
Give this recipe a try – it's straightforward cooking that lets good ingredients speak for themselves. Simple food done right, that's what this is.
Recipe
Tagliatelle with mushrooms is a classic Italian pasta dish that combines the richness of wild mushrooms with the elegant simplicity of fresh egg pasta. The earthiness of the mushrooms creates a perfect harmony with the silky texture of tagliatelle, while fresh herbs and garlic enhance the natural flavors of this rustic combination.
This dish can be prepared with various types of mushrooms, from common button mushrooms to more exotic varieties like porcini or chanterelles. The key to achieving the best results lies in properly sautéing the mushrooms to release their natural flavors and creating a light yet creamy sauce that coats each strand of pasta perfectly.
- 1 pound fresh tagliatelle pasta
- 1.5 pounds mixed mushrooms
Clean and slice the mushrooms, then sauté them in olive oil until golden brown. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour in white wine and let it reduce by half. Add heavy cream, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in salted water until al dente. Transfer the pasta directly to the mushroom sauce, adding a bit of pasta water if needed.
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Toss with butter and Parmesan cheese until the sauce coats the pasta evenly. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.
For the best results, avoid washing mushrooms directly under water as they absorb moisture easily. Instead, clean them with a damp paper towel. When cooking the mushrooms, make sure the pan isn't overcrowded to achieve proper browning.
The pasta should be slightly undercooked when added to the sauce as it will continue cooking while being tossed. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining to adjust the sauce consistency if needed.
Tagliatelle and wild mushrooms share deep roots in northern Italian cuisine, particularly in Emilia-Romagna where this pasta shape originated. The wide, flat ribbons of pasta provide the perfect vehicle for capturing the rich, earthy flavors of sautéed mushrooms and their resulting sauce.
While traditionally made with local porcini mushrooms foraged from the Apennine Mountains, this versatile dish adapts beautifully to whatever fresh mushrooms are available in your area. The combination dates back centuries, when foragers would return from the woods with their funghi treasures and create this simple yet satisfying meal.
Conclusion
Good old tagliatelle with mushrooms – this one's stood the test of time in my kitchen. Nothing fancy here, just honest pasta and mushrooms that work together like they were meant to be. The sauce is simply cream with a splash of wine (don't worry if you're not sure which wine – any dry white will do), and it hugs those pasta ribbons just right. The mushrooms add that lovely woodsy flavor that makes you feel like you're cooking something special, even though it's really quite straightforward. If you've got mushrooms and pasta in your pantry, you're already halfway there. I've been making this for decades and it never disappoints – just the sort of meal you want after a long day.