Bucatini Pasta with Sautéed Red Swiss Chard & Shiitake Mushrooms
Finished with garlic confit and a grating of Grana-style cheese, this wintery pasta is incredibly cozy and satisfying.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bucatini pasta, or other fresh pasta of your choice
2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
1 bunch red Swiss chard, leaves separated from tough stems and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
¼ cup F&L garlic confit
¼ cup Grana-style cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook until the bucatini is al dente, about 5-6 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in the skillet. Once warm, add the mushrooms and Swiss chard, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and sweat until mushrooms are tender and Swiss chard is just wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add drained pasta to the skillet with the vegetables, then toss everything together with the rest of the olive oil, butter and garlic confit. (If pasta seems a little dry, mix in reserved pasta water.) Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with a healthy grating of Grana-style cheese and enjoy!
Italian Summer Recipes
The Italian summer calls to mind visions of a crisp glass of wine, homemade pasta and garden-fresh produce simply and beautifully prepared. Hence, this week’s box captures the flavors of summer by way of Italy with locally-crafted bucatini pasta to toss with baby Shiitake mushrooms, plus fresh sourdough bread and a bevy of beautiful salad greens and ingredients like beets, spring onions, green beans and sugar snap peas. Also included for this relaxed, refreshing meal: Even more summer berries, this time the first of the blueberries and then super-sweet cherries. Mangia!
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Bucatini Pasta with Sautéed Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
Also tossed with sweet onions and a topping of Grana-style cheese, this pasta is incredibly satisfying.
Pea Shoot Salad with Radishes & Hazelnuts
This stellar salad from Food & Wine is beautifully balanced with peppery greens and radishes and sweet pea shoots.
Garlic & Ginger Green Beans
This zingy preparation will soon be a new favorite.
Quick-Pickled Sweet Onions
These snappy little onions are fantastic served on sandwiches and salads.
Anise Hyssop Lemonade
Sweetened with an anise hyssop simple syrup, this lemonade is incredibly fragrant.
Bucatini Pasta with Sautéed Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
Also tossed with sweet onions and a topping of Grana-style cheese, this pasta is incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bucatini pasta, or other fresh pasta of your choice
2 cups mini baby Shiitake mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
1 Walla Walla sweet onion, peeled and diced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
¼ cup Grana-style cheese, grated
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook until the bucatini is al dente, about 5-6 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in the skillet. Once warm, add the onions, mushrooms and garlic, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and sweat until mushrooms are tender and garlic is fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add drained pasta to the skillet with the vegetables, then toss everything together with the rest of the olive oil and butter. If pasta seems a little dry, mix in reserved pasta water. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with Grana-style cheese to sprinkle over pasta.
Oven-Roasted Shiitake Mushroom & Vegetable Salad
This room temperature salad is also wonderful served over grilled slices of polenta.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds baby Shiitake mushrooms, washed
1 large sweet onion, cut into large chunks
⅓ cup olive oil, divided
1 medium zucchini
6 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and halved
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup sliced fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place mushrooms in a large bowl with onion wedges. Add 4 teaspoons olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. Arrange in a single layer on large shallow baking pan and roast uncovered on bottom shelf in 400° oven for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. While the mushrooms and onions are roasting, cut zucchini in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1-inch pieces and place in the same bowl and add tomatoes; toss with remaining olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place tomatoes cut side up on another baking sheet with zucchini and roast in oven with mushrooms for another 15-20 minutes or until softened and sizzling. Remove vegetables from oven and spoon into a large serving bowl.
3. In a measuring cup combine the vinegar, basil, garlic, hot pepper flakes and parsley and pour over warm vegetables. Toss lightly; serve at room temperature as side dish or on grilled polenta for main course.
Tip: You can also prepare the vegetables in a grill pan on the barbecue.
