The ingredients

I started a Facebook page to go with my website a couple weeks ago called Creative Tips & Techniques to make Everything Delicious. Since then I have changed the name of the website, but feel they are close enough. Well, I digress.   I mentioned that if a food picture gets over a certain amount of likes I will post the recipe and this did. It is a quick and delicious dinner for 2. I liked using that shaped pasta because the mushrooms hid inside, but you can use whatever you wish. Feel free to double. Make sure you read the recipe through before starting because some cooking and soaking liquids are reserved. I go over this here.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Pea Shoots

• 4 oz pasta
• 2 T garlic confit oil + about 3 T of the confit garlic cloves
• 1/4 C finely diced shallot
• 3/4 oz dried maitake or other dried mushroom, reconstituted in 2 C hot water
• 3 oz sliced fresh cremini or baby bella mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp marjoram
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 2 oz pea shoots (if not available you can use peas) plus add’l for garnish
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 C cream
• 1/4 C parmesan
• truffle oil

Cook the pasta until almost done, reserving about 1/2 C of the cooking water before draining.

You can use scallions in place of the shallots.

Heat the oil, add the shallots, sprinkling them with a bit of salt and saute them until they are softened and starting to brown.

Reconstituting Dried Mushrooms. This is way more than you need for this recipe

Drain the mushrooms, saving about 1 C of the soaking liquid. Strain the liquid to make sure there is no sand in it. Add both types of mushrooms to the pan with the shallots.  Season them with the herbs, salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms until they start to brown.  Add the tomato add cook a few more minutes.  Add the reserved mushroom liquid and cream and cook until reduced by half.  Add the pasta, pea shoots, garlic confit and 3 T of the Parmesan.  Cook until the pasta is al dente, draining reserving some of the pasta water to use if the sauce is too thick. Serve garnished with some pea shoots, the remaining Parmesan, pepper and drizzle with the truffle oil.  Serve immediately. Enjoy and eat well.

The finished dish