One feature of the 1986 issues of Bon Appétit was a monthly column written by Abby Mandel about the food processor. Mandel was a well-regarded cookbook writer from Chicago who celebrated the midwestern table in her recipes. In these columns she created and adapted recipes using the food processor (a relatively new piece of technology for 80s kitchens), explaining to readers which blades, discs, and techniques to use.
Within the January 1986 issue, Mandel gives readers several recipes for “Quick Winter Pastas” with which cooks can use their food processors to make quick work of chopping and slicing. One recipe using fresh mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes caught my eye. Although we can find fresh tomatoes in the produce aisle during January, they are usually lacking in flavor or have been imported from far away. Using sun-dried tomatoes is a sensible winter strategy. (Look for sun-dried tomatoes that are bagged, not stored in oil.) I also thought that the use of goat cheese in the recipe would amplify the earthy taste of the mushrooms.
I adapted this recipe in a few ways: instead of using chopped green onions, added at the end of cooking the sauce, I decided to start with a yellow onion. First, I sautéd it until caramelized, then built the mushroom sauce for the pasta on that. While Mandel’s recipe called for only 6 ounces of “large mushrooms,” I opted to double the amount and use more than one variety (white button, baby bellas, and golden oak shiitakes). Likewise, I added fresh thyme and basil to the recipe, augmenting the fresh parsley she had called for. Finally, I also tripled the garlic.
The mushroom sauce can be made up to two days ahead of time. Once you’re ready to cook the pasta, simply rewarm the sauce. Adding the goat cheese to the freshly cooked pasta coats it with a creamy yet tangy base. After you add the mushroom sauce and fresh herbs, the pasta is ready to enjoy.
The result was a warm and hearty, yet light tasting pasta that was a bright spot on a cold winter night. Oh–and I didn’t use the food processor at all!
Mushroom, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Pasta
Sunnyside Cook
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1 medium-large yellow onion sliced or diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces assorted fresh mushrooms white button, baby bella, shitake, etc., sliced
- 1 1/2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil*, cut in 1/8 inch julienne
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
For the pasta
- 8 ounces dried short curvy pasta campanelle, medium shells, etc.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 to 5 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon of dried
- additional freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté until light golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and sprinkle with the salt. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and thyme and sauté for 3 minutes more. Add chicken broth and raise heat under skillet. Boil for 2 minutes and then turn off heat. Cover skillet. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the tomatoes to fully reconstitute and for flavors to meld.
For the pasta
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain when cooked al dente. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place in large bowl.
- Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over pasta and mix well.
- Pour warmed mushroom sauce over pasta and mix well. Add basil and parsley and toss once more. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper as desire. Serve immediately.
Notes
*If using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drain the tomatoes well and blot dry with a paper towel. Adapted from Abby Mandel in Bon Appetit Jan 1986
