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Pasta al forno con funghi

17/11/2023

Oven-baked pasta with mushrooms is a rich and flavorful dish, perfect for when you’re looking for comfort food. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

  • 350 g of short pasta (such as penne or rigatoni)
  • 500 g of mushrooms (porcini, champignon, or mixed)
  • 200 g of béchamel sauce
  • 100 g of grated cheese (Parmesan or Pecorino)
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Chopped parsley to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Butter to grease the baking dish
  • (Optional) 100 g of mozzarella or scamorza, diced, to make the dish stringy

Preparation

  1. Clean the mushrooms by removing any dirt residues with a damp cloth, then slice them.
  2. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil with a whole garlic clove. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they are golden, then remove the garlic.
  3. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for about two-thirds of the cooking time indicated on the package; it should be very al dente. Drain the pasta and save some of the cooking water.
  4. Prepare the béchamel sauce (or you can use ready-made): melt a piece of butter in a saucepan, add flour and cook for a few minutes. Then pour the hot milk in slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until you have a thick sauce.
  5. In a large bowl, mix the pasta with the mushrooms, béchamel sauce, most of the grated cheese, chopped parsley, and if you like, the diced mozzarella. If the mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water.
  6. Grease a baking dish with butter, pour in the pasta and mushrooms mixture, and level it out.
  7. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and, if you want, a few flakes of butter to gratinate better.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (392 °F) for about 20 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and crispy.
  9. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Curiosity

Oven-baked pasta with mushrooms is an autumnal variation of the classic oven-baked pasta dish. The mushrooms can vary depending on the season and availability, contributing to creating different flavor nuances each time. In Italy, every region has its variants of oven-baked pasta, using different types of pasta, cheeses, and additional ingredients. For example, some versions include crumbled sausage for an extra touch of flavor.