PASTA WITH MUSHROOM-THYME CREAM SAUCE

Pasta With Mushroom-Thyme Cream Sauce image

Provided by ratherbeswimmin

Categories Healthy

Time 1h15m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb sliced white mushroom
salt
ground black pepper
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (rehydrated with 1 cup liquid reserved)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 lb linguine or 1 lb spaghetti

Steps:

**Rehydrate the porcini mushrooms while the mushrooms brown.
Bring large pot of water to boil (4 quarts water).
Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over med-high heat; add in white mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
While mushrooms cook, pureed rehydrateed porcini mushrooms, 1 cup reserved porcini liquid, half-and-half, soy sauce, thyme, and cornstarch in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Stir shallot into saucepan with mushrooms; cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
Stir in garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in sherry and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute.
Briefly re-blend porcini mixture to dissolve cornstarch; then stir into saucepan and simmer until thickened, about 2 mintues.
Remove sauce from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water; cook, stirring often, until al dente.
Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta and return to pot.
Stir sauce into pasta and add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen sauce; serve immediately.