Fresh house made Pappardelle tossed with mushrooms, sage and creamy goat cheese sauce. Finished with truffle oil.
Where this dish comes from
Mushrooms sauteed in garlic and butter appear in some form throughout northern and central Italian cooking — from the wild porcini of Tuscany and Umbria to the cultivated cremini of the Po Valley. The technique is essentially unchanged across centuries: hot fat, dry mushrooms, high heat until golden, garlic added after the moisture has evaporated. As a side dish, sauteed mushrooms are one of the most versatile accompaniments in the Italian-American kitchen — they pair equally well with steak, chicken, fish, and pasta.
Cheffy’s note
The mushrooms must be completely dry and the pan must be very hot. Any moisture in the pan steams the mushrooms rather than searing them, and they never develop the deep golden color that makes them worth eating. Add the garlic butter after the mushrooms have browned — add it at the start and the butter burns before the mushrooms are done. The picked parsley leaves are a finishing garnish, not a seasoning: scatter them at the last moment so they stay fresh.