Ziti with Portobello Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese
Years ago, I came across this recipe from a Food&Wine Cook Book. All of my children love this recipe. It takes a little time, but so worth it when you put a spoonful in your mouth! I have used both large and small portobello mushrooms in this recipe. This recipe serves 4 unless you are serving it as a side dish with dinner, then you can easily feed 6-8. When I serve this as the main dish, I often add grilled chicken breast sliced or cubed into the recipe.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed, caps halved and then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
3/4 pound ziti pasta
3 ounces soft goat cheese, such as Montrachet, crumbled
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Directions
Step 1
In a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are well browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and place in a dish.
Step 2
In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and brown, about 8 minutes. Add the reserved onions, the parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.
Step 3
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the ziti until just done, about 13 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water (this is important to remember!)and drain. Toss the ziti and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water with the mushroom mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the goat cheese, and the Parmesan. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan. This is delicious with Ciabatta Bread and a tasty herb dipping oil that I will post in my next post!