Ohh… no, another creamy wine mushroom pasta… well, yes but it’s different – it was the dish that I made for someone I liked (may be then it was love!), and the moment she said she liked it, it became my special dish.
The name pasta, in a middleclass Bengali household immediately brings out the reaction “kha moida kha” (eat white refined floor , spoil your health). It did happen here too, but did not stop me from trying out a few experiments when my parents were out.
From my early days I liked cooking so much so that my parents used to lock the kitchen when they went to office. I used to find new sources of heat — like burning 20 candles at a time to boil water or heat oil in the balcony so I could fry some potatoes, papads etc etc. I also did use electricity in very dangerous (and unmentionable ) ways to boil water. But those are different stories, may be for another day.
Well, enough of my early adventurous; lets get back to the pasta.
Why creamy wine mushroom pasta? Simple, I love cream, wine and mushroom and of course, pasta.
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
So wasting no more time here it is.
Ingredients:
- Pasta: 250 gms
- Mushrooms: 200 gms, cut to small pieces
- Onion: Half of a big one, thinly sliced
- Ginger past: 1 tsp
- Garlic paste: 1 tsp
- Oregano: 2 tsp
- Basil: 2 tsp
- Paprika: 1 tsp
- Black pepper powder: one-fourth tsp
- Olive oil: 5 tbsp (any refined cooking oil will also do)
- Butter: 1 tsp
- Cheese: 5 tbsp
- Tartar sauce: 2 tsp
- Mayonnaise: 2 tsp
- Milk: 5 cups (450 ml)
- Salt: To taste
- White whine: 250 ml (Indian will do, but if you prefer some French or Spanish or Japanese or some more exotic stuff you are welcome to try them out)
How to cook:
- Bring 2 litres of water to boil and then add 1tsp full of salt and 3 tbsp refined oil. Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes or so till the pasta is soft. Set aside.
- Add some oregano and basil seasoning to the mushrooms and then put in a glass plate. Cover with a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 6 to 8 minutes. This helps to take the moisture out of the mushroom which helps reduce the frying time while making the sauce.
- Now take a non-stick frying pan and heat 2 tbsp olive oil or refined oil and add a teaspoon of butter. Before the butter melts completely, add the chopped onion and fry in low flame till translucent (slightly brown).
- Then add 3 tbsp full of ginger and garlic paste and keep frying for 5 mins or so (remember low heat).
- Add to this mixture 1/2 teaspoon full each of oregano, basil, paprika and one-fourth teaspoon of black pepper. (You can also use pre mixed products like pizza or barbecue seasoning available in the market).
- Keep frying till the paste has changed to a slightly darker shade, then add salt and the mushrooms (water drained after microwave treatment). Keep frying till the mushrooms turn soft.
- Add the remaining half tbsp full of oregano, basil and paprika.
- Keep frying for another 2 minutes, and then add 250 ml of white wine.
- Cook on low heat and cover the pan for a minute or two. Then remove the cover and let the wine dry. Never increase the heat as the wine might evaporate quickly and won’t leave its flavor in the pasta sauce. When the mushrooms are again sizzling in oil, the wine has dried off completely.
- Increase heat now and add milk to this and bring it to boil.
- Add to this cheese, tartar sauce and mayonnaise. Keep stirring as you add the above ingredients as they might form lumps.
- Now boil this to a creamy consistency of your choice and add salt to taste.
- When you are satisfied with the consistency, take a bowl and pour about 80 per cent of the content out of the frying pan.
- Your sauce is ready. You might try to add a pinch of black pepper to it.
- Reduce heat to medium and to the remaining sauce in the frying pan, add the boiled pasta and mix carefully so as not to break the pasta.
- Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle oregano and basil and cover it for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Phoooo… It’s done.
- Put the pasta on a plate and pour the remaining sauce over it and serve.
Will post other of my experiments too, soon… enjoy!
