Mushroom and Gorgonzola Rotini

As promised, here is the recipe for the mushroom pasta I made yesterday for lunch using the fabulous hunk of cheese I bought at the markets . On a lazy Saturday afternoon, the last thing you want to do is linger too long in the kitchen. Now, this pasta is so simple and so easily modified that I don't even know if I should provide you a recipe. You could almost make it up as you go, I did. But here it goes.

I used the regular swiss brown mushrooms you can find at any supermarket for this dish as that is what I had in the fridge, but really you can use any mushroom you want. If I were to make this again, I am imagining some porcini, chanterelles, oysters, or if you happen to be very lucky or loaded, you can lace the pasta with shavings of fresh truffle. Divine.

You can't tell from the picture above but the sauce becomes a beautiful seafoam green and is quite runny in consistency. The taste is quite strong because of the gorgonzola, and if you don't want such a prominent cheese taste then you can up the cream or better yet, just lessen the cheese. I didn't add any salt as the cheese gave enough saltiness, but if you think it needs a bit of salt you can add a pinch or two, or even add a spoonful of parmesan cheese instead. I decided to sprinkle more gorgonzola crumbs over the pasta so that as you are eating you are surprised by little bursts of cheese.

Also, you can even replace the pasta with penne or macaroni. It just so happened that I had this rotini in the pantry just ready to be cooked. Rotini is just the fancy Italian name for the spiral-shaped pasta.

Mushroom and Gorgonzola Rotini
serves 4

500g pack Spiral Pasta
olive oil
200g swiss brown mushrooms, sliced lenthways
1 tsp thyme, dried or fresh
1 clove garlic, chopped roughly
100g gorgonzola cheese, cubed (you can leave some extra to sprinkle over)
125ml pouring (single) cream
freshly grated nutmeg
salt for boiling
pepper to taste

salt or parmesan cheese if required

Boil a litre of water in a large pot and add salt when the water comes to a rolling boil.
Cook the pasta al dente, according to package instructions.
Drain

TO PREPARE THE SAUCE
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil.
Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, then add the garlic.
When the mushrooms have softened, reduce the heat and add the cheese and stir until melted.
Add the cream and continue to stir until the sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and add the pasta and mix through the sauce.
Grate some fresh nutmeg over the top.
Add salt or parmesan cheese if needed
(Optional- sprinkle some crumbled gorgonzola over the pasta)
Add freshly ground black pepper before serving.