Fall's Best Pasta Recipe
Servings:
6 to 8 servings
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
- 6 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 6 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 rosemary sprigs (whole with stem)
- 2 thyme sprigs (whole with stem)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 rosemary sprig (whole with stem)
- 1 thyme sprig (whole with stem)
- 1 small (10 ounces) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt, to taste
- 1 box Barilla Collezione Rigatoni
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces Brussels sprouts, stems removed and leaves separated into petals
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Pecorino Romano, shaved, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 400º. In a large bowl, toss together the mushrooms, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and thyme, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay out the mushrooms evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, tossing them every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the mushrooms are roasting, make the butternut squash purée: In a small square cheesecloth, arrange the black peppercorns, coriander, cumin, rosemary and thyme, and use butcher's twine to tie the ends together into a sachet. In a medium pot, add the squash and the sachet, and cover completely with water so it rises to 2 inches above the squash. Season with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft, 15 minutes. Strain the squash, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and add to a blender. Blend until the squash is smooth and adjust the consistency with the cooking liquid to medium thickness. Keep warm and set aside for later.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions and set aside.
- Make the sauté: In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprout leaves and sauté until they are barely cooked, 2 minutes. Toss in the cooked Barilla Collezione Rigatoni, roast mushrooms, lemon juice and zest and cook until the pasta and mushrooms are cooked through, 2 minutes.
- Spoon the warm butternut squash purée over the bottom of a large serving platter, spoon the pasta over the purée, garnish with Pecorino Romano shavings, then serve.