Pappardelle Pasta with Sautéed Fall Mushrooms & Herbs

Rich with locally-foraged mushrooms and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of fall.

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh pasta of your choice, such as this week’s pappardelle
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups mixed wild mushrooms, washed and patted dry
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock
¼ cup combined fresh chopped parsley, sage and thyme
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup grated Grana-style cheese

Method:
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid.

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft and tender and then add chicken stock and cook until reduced slightly, another 3-4 minutes. Add in fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Add in drained pasta and toss everything together. Add in reserved 1 tablespoon of butter and grated cheese, and mix to distribute. If pasta seems dry, add in reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until adequately moist.

Variation: For an extra savory touch, crisp some diced pancetta in a skillet and scatter it over the finished pasta just before serving.