Tasty Tangents

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

A slightly lighter version of a cream sauce, this recipe calls for part cream and part milk, though you could easily use one or the other, depending on how thick you want the sauce, and of course what you have in the fridge. It’s important to hold the salt to the very end of the recipe, or the mushrooms will lose all their liquid and make a very watery sauce. This recipe serves about 6 people.

Ingredients:
-500g fresh spinach linguine pasta, cooked as per package directions
-3 tbsp. olive oil
-500g sliced mini bella mushrooms (portobellos are an easy substitute)
-30g prosciutto, cubed (if it’s already sliced, just cut it into small strips)
-3 tbsp. butter
-1/2 cup table cream
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to top each plate
-1/2 tsp. sage
-1/2 tsp. chili pepper
-1/2 tsp. garlic salt
-salt and pepper to taste

In a large, non-stick saucepan (big enough to add all the pasta to later) heat the olive oil, add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the prosciutto and continue cooking another 5 minutes until most of the liquid is gone and the mushrooms have browned. Add the butter, sage, chili pepper and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add the milk and cream, stir for 1 minute to combine, then add the garlic salt and parmesan cheese, stir and cover. Add the cooked pasta and add salt and pepper to taste.