Here is another vegetarian recipe with amazing depth of flavors. The earthiness of the mushroom, perfectly marries with the green beans, which also add texture to the dish. But the secret star of the show is the wine - its complex aroma is essential to bringing all the flavors together, as it often does in Italian cuisine.
This all-season pasta sauce can be prepared quickly, almost as the pasta boils, and it makes for a satisfying dish that is also beautiful to serve.
Ingredients for 2 people
- 125 g (4 ½ oz) fresh or dried egg pasta (e.g.: pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccine)
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) green beans, shaved (see below)
- 150 g (5 ½ oz) mushrooms (e.g.: fresh porcini, oyster, crimini), sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, finely diced
- ½ of a small onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable stock, warmed up
- 1 cup half and half (10% cream)
- ½ glass dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
- Salt and pepper
Green beans can be easily shaved using a sharp potato peeler. This preparation is essential for the recipe as it tenderizes the green beans, while preserving their crunchiness.
Preparation
- In a frying pan, sauté the green beans in olive oil for a couple of minutes at high temperature (1-2).
- Add the vegetable stock and let the green beans stew for 10 minutes at medium heat (3).
- Meanwhile, in a second frying pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes at high (4).
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes at medium heat until tender.
- Add the white wine and let it evaporate completely (5).
- Add the cream and let it reduce for 5 minutes at low temperature (6).
Merge everything into a single pan, mix and simmer for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Boil the egg pasta in plenty of salty water (see Cooking Pasta 101 for all the ins and outs), then drain it briefly and serve it covered with the green beans and mushrooms sauce and with some shaved Parmigiano.
