Creamy Florentine Rigatoni with Sauteed Mushrooms and Toasted Walnuts is a rich and satisfying pasta dish that incorporates the warm, earthy flavors of fall. Served as a vegetarian meal or as a side dish, this recipe is tasty, healthy, and delicious. The recipe calls for mushrooms, readily available at most grocery stores, and mascarpone cheese, an Italian cream cheese available in the dairy section, but you can also use wild mushrooms and regular cream cheese.
Ingredients
1 pound rigatoni or similar pasta
1 large package (12 oz.) fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 large bag (10-12 oz.) fresh baby spinach, rinsed well and stems removed
1 cup of walnut pieces
3 tablespoons of butter
1 small container (8 oz.) mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon dried nutmeg.
Instructions
1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. (4 quarts or liters per pound of pasta)
2. While the water is heating, carefully clean the mushrooms with a damp brush or towel, cut off the tough end of the stems and cut into slices. Avoid putting the mushrooms under water, as this makes them tough and chewy. Look for fresh sliced mushrooms to save time. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sauté the mushrooms over medium-low heat. Once they start to exude moisture, season lightly with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are golden brown and some of the liquid has cooked off.
3. Add spinach and mix until spinach softens.
4. Add the mascarpone cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese and mix well. heat through. The mascarpone cheese will start to melt and thin out a bit as it heats up. Season with fresh nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper and lower heat to keep warm.
5. When the water is boiling, add 1 heaping tablespoon of salt and drop in the pasta. Stir gently to prevent the paste from sticking. Cook according to package directions until al dente (firm when bitten).
6. While the pasta is cooking, gently toast the nuts in a small, dry saucepan over medium-low heat. Set aside.
7. When pasta is done, carefully reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and add it back to the hot pot, off the heat.
8. Add the spinach mushroom sauce and toss to combine. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to smooth the sauce to a silky consistency.
9. Plate the pasta and decorate with the toasted walnuts and the rest of the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
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