Mary Ann Esposito is an American cook, teacher, author and TV personality based in New Hampshire, north of Boston. (I know, I know. Boston is in Massachusetts. This is just by way of a geographical point of reference). Mary Ann is credited with having the longest running TV cooking show, Ciao Italia, which was first broadcast in 1989. She and her TV show are still going strong. Way to go, Mary Ann!
I don’t know how long ago I was watching one of her shows (probably 25 years I would guess) when she prepared this dish. So very simple but oh, so delicious. Dairy products have a particular affinity for anything mushroom and the cream in this dish becomes rich with the earthy aroma and taste of shiitake and porcini mushrooms. The mushroom flavor is boosted by the dried porcini soaking liquid.
Not long after I saw Mary Ann prepare this dish I decided to try it. My wife called from work that day (as she is wont to do even now although like me, she is no longer working) to ask, “What’s for dinner”? when I told her, “Fried penne”, there was a moment’s hesitation before she said, “OK, don’t fry my penne”. And so I didn’t. My daughter and I had the fried penne while my wife had plain boiled penne. She regretted it as I knew she would!
So, fried penne; what’s that all about? Gently frying the pasta in a generous amount of olive oil before adding any liquid gives it a delicate nutty flavor and a slightly chewy texture which goes wonderfully with the creamy mushrooms.
As simple as it is to make, there are one or two things to watch out for. First, frying the pasta: you must stir and agitate the pasta constantly otherwise it will brown unevenly and some penne will be overdone. It goes from just right to burned in seconds so keep an eye on it. The wider your pot is the better, so the penne don’t pile up on themselves and will brown more evenly. Second, as you fry the penne have ready the hot chicken stock. When the pasta is just right, you will add the hot stock which will boil right away. You know how, when you boil pasta the conventional way, you bring your water to a boil and add the pasta and then you bring your pot back to a boil as quickly as possible. In this case you are doing it bass ackwards – adding the hot liquid to the pasta.
If you have never used dried porcini mushrooms before you should be aware that they often have bits of dirt and grit adhering to them. The dirt will fall off and settle in the bottom of the jug (or whatever container you used) as the mushrooms soak. When you pick the softened mushrooms out of their soaking liquid, be sure to do so gently so you don’t disturb the water too much and end up picking up dirt as you go. Similarly, when you pour the soaking liquid out into the pan with the mushrooms, go slowly. As you get to the dregs, stop pouring. Some of that muddy stuff at the bottom of the jug is mushroom dust but hiding in there is grit. Nothing will spoil the experience of eating this dish like chomping down on grit!
One last thing: don’t get too hung up on quantities with this recipe. None of the amounts given are an absolute. If you get close to the mark, that will be good enough. So, with some minimal prep you can prepare the sauce while the pasta cooks and, Voila! dinner is ready in no time. So, here goes…
Serves 4 as a main course or 6-8 as a first course.
Fried Penne with Mushroom Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 oz (30g) dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated in 1-1/2 cups (340ml) of hot water
- 8 oz (225g) shiitake mushrooms – stems removed and cut into thin slices
- 1/4 cup (110ml) extra virgin olive oil plus 2 TBS (30ml)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) cream
- 3 cups (750ml) hot chicken stock
- 1 lb (450g) penne rigate pasta – the kind with ridges, not the smooth kind
- 1/2 cup (225ml) brandy or rum
- 2 oz (56g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese – plus more for serving
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Let the dried porcini soak in hot water for at least 30 minutes until soft and pliable. Carefully remove the rehydrated mushroom from the soaking liquid being careful not to disturb the water too much. Squeeze the mushrooms in your hand to remove as much liquid as you can, allowing it to drip back into the jug. You want to save the mushroom liquid which is very flavorful. We’ll add it back later. You should have about 1 cup (240ml) of soaking liquid left in the jug.
- Coarsely chop the porcini mushrooms and set them aside with the stemmed and sliced shiitake mushrooms,
- Heat the chicken stock in a medium pot and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. If you are using store bought chicken stock there is generally no need to add extra salt to the pasta since the stock has plenty of salt already, but taste it to be sure. If it needs more seasoning go ahead and add it now. For homemade stock, season it with salt to your taste. *See note below
- In a large pot heat 1/4 cup (110ml) of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer add the penne, stirring constantly to agitate the pasta. Keep stirring until the pasta begins to color and become golden brown all over. This will take several minutes. Note that not all of the pasta will be evenly brown but all of them should have some color.
- Carefully pour in the brandy or rum. (No need to use the good stuff here, it’s just for flavor). The alcohol will erupt in a cloud of steam so keep you face away from the pot. Let the alcohol reduce, stirring all the time. This will only take about 20-30 seconds.
- Add the hot chicken stock which should boil right away. Give the pot one last stir, lower the heat and partially cover the pot to maintain a gentle boil.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the remaining 2 TBS (30ml) of olive oil in a 10" frying pan over medium high heat. Add the shiitake and porcini mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally until tender and the shiitakes begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, being careful not to get any of the residue at the bottom of the jug into the pan. **See note below. Add in the cream and give the pot a quick stir to combine the liquids and mushrooms. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium and let the liquid reduce and thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes
- Check on the pasta. It should be almost done by now but with still some stock left in the pot. Add the mushrooms and cream, stir and continue cooking, uncovered, until the pasta is done. Bite one to see. It won't be as soft and tender as boiled pasta because of the toasting process but there shouldn't be any raw pasta at its center. Once the pasta is cooked it should be quite soupy with some liquid left in the pot. That's as it should be: when you add the cheese it will emulsify the starchy, mushroom/cream and create a luscious sauce.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the pasta cool slightly, stirring occasionally to even out the temperature, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese and freshly ground pepper to your taste. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy. If you add the cheese too soon when the pot is very hot it will tend to toughen up and become stringy rather than creamy. Feel free to add more cheese if you like (I usually like…). If you have any on hand you can throw in a handful of chopped parsley for a splash of color and fresh green flavor. Not essential but a nice touch at the end.
- Serve on warm plates and enjoy with extra cheese sprinkled on top.
Notes
