Clara’s Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Surviving her PhD.

Contributed by Clara, this is a college staple meal for her. She likes to add extra protein by adding cooked chicken or prosciutto to the sauce when you add in the pasta. You can add extra veg sometimes (just add to the mushrooms and onions in the beginning)

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 lb. your preferred mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn or chopped into bite-size pieces

• Half of a yellow onion diced

• 1 lb. linguine

• ½ cup heavy cream, or vegan option

• Zest and juice of ½ lemon

• A knob of butter

• ~½ cup Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving

• Salt and pepper

• Optional: chicken, prosciutto, other veg (zucchini ect.)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven or large frying pan over medium-high (ive even made this dish in a wok and it turned out great). Cook mushrooms and onions until mushrooms are browned and onions are slightly translucent (or as soft as you prefer). Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2-3 minutes less than package directions.

2. After pasta has finished cooking, drain (leaving one cup of pasta water in reserve) and add pasta to mushrooms and onions. Add the leftover pasta water and cream. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook while stirring, until pasta done to your likeness and sauce is slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Remove pot from heat. Add most of the Parmesan and mix. You may need to bring the sauce to simmer after adding the cheese to reach a sauce thickness you like. 

4. Remove from heat again and add butter. Mix the butter in, adding lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. 

Enjoy and thank the stars for leftovers!