Weekend
Brown Butter Mushroom Pappardelle
Mushrooms sear dry in a wide pan, then butter browns with sage and the pasta water brings it back into a sauce.
Allergens: Dried pasta is usually wheat. Butter and cheese are dairy. Sage and mushrooms are not common allergens, but mushroom mixes sometimes include varieties you may want to name for guests.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pappardelle
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms, sliced (cremini and shiitake work well)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 sage leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/2 cup grated hard cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it until it tastes seasoned, about 1 tablespoon kosher salt for 4 quarts. Cook the pappardelle until just shy of tender. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer, without stirring, for 3 minutes so they brown. Then toss and cook until they are deeply colored and their liquid has cooked off, about 5 minutes more. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter, sage, and garlic. Cook until the butter foams and the milk solids turn hazelnut brown, 2 to 3 minutes. The sage should crisp, not blacken.
- Add the drained pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss until the noodles are coated and glossy. Add more pasta water a spoon at a time if the pan looks tight. Fish out the garlic cloves if they are still in large pieces.
- Turn off the heat. Toss with cheese and pepper. Serve at once, with the sage leaves on top.
Storage
Dressed pasta does not keep its texture. If you must save it, box it with a little extra pasta water and rewarm gently in a skillet the next day. The mushrooms alone keep two days.
Kitchen notes
Water is the difference between brown butter that seizes and a sauce that clings. Add it off a rolling boil so it emulsifies with the butter. If the butter smells sharp or the solids go past amber into black, start that pan over; bitter butter cannot be rescued.
Any wide noodle can stand in for pappardelle. Fettuccine is the easiest swap in a U.S. grocery aisle. Keep the mushroom weight equal to the pasta weight so the plate is not only noodles.
Kitchen notes, not medical advice. These pages describe how to cook food. They do not diagnose, treat, or promise any health result. If you have an allergy or need a specific eating pattern, follow the advice of a qualified professional.