Penne and Portobellos

I decided that a pasta dish sounded perfect for tonight and the combination of portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions and goat cheese was calling my name. The process started with caramelizing some thinly sliced onions and then deglazing the pan with a little white wine. Once the wine cooked down a little, the onions came out and a lot of sliced portobello mushrooms got their turn to cook. Meanwhile I was cooking some whole wheat penne pasta. Once the mushrooms were browned and tender and the pasta was cooked through the onions were added back with the mushrooms along with some chopped parsley and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Some of the pasta water was set aside to be added to the pan with the onion/mushroom mixture along with the cooked pasta, some crumbled goat cheese and some grated Parmesan cheese.

This pasta dish was very hearty and filling without any meat. I think portobellos do a wonderful job of filling in for meat.



Penne and Portobellos
Adapted from Elly says Opa.com

1 1/2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
10 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter in 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are browned about 30 minutes. Add the wine and cook until nearly evaporated, a few more minutes. Remove the onions from the pan.

In the same pan, melt the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon 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, peas, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain. Toss the pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water with the mushroom mixture, goat cheese, and the Parmesan/Romano. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.

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