FAVA BEAN AND SHIITAKE RAGOUT WITH PENNE

FAVA BEAN AND SHIITAKE RAGOUT WITH PENNE image

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 cup shelled, skinned fresh fava beans
8-10 shiitake mushrooms, cut off stems and reserve, slice caps thin
1 leek, white & light green parts, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tbs butter
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 thin asparagus stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 lb. small penne
1 cup vegetable broth
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley or mixture of parsley, mint & tarragon
shavings of parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese

Steps:

Set a stock pot of water on stove for pasta. While the water heats: Heat butter and oil in skillet. Saute leek, shallot, and sliced shiitake caps until mushrooms have reabsorbed their liquid. Add salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat, set aside. Simmer broth in shallow sauce pan. Blanch fava beans in the broth for a minute, remove and cool. Blanch asparagus for 1-2 minutes, remove and cool. Add shiitake stalks to remaining broth, simmer on the back burner to reduce while making pasta. When pasta water is boiling, cook pasta al dente. Drain in colander, return to pot. Ladel some hot broth into the penne and stir (discard shiitake stems). Stir in 1/2 the parsley/herbs. Reheat the shiitake mixture in the same skillet, add fava beans and asparagus, saute 2 minutes. Add vegetable mixture to pasta and stir. Spoon into pasta bowls. Ladel some broth on top. Finish with shavings of cheese, and fresh ground pepper to taste.