Ingredients
Bechamel:
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Mushroom Mixture:
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 stick
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups boiling water
- 1 pound, 8 ounces mixed mushrooms, chopped
- 3/4 cups fresh parsley leaves, chopped, plus 3/4 cup, plus 1/4 cup more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or fresh thyme leaves
- 3 fat garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup amontillado sherry
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus 1 cup
- Salt
- 3 pounds rigatoni or other big pasta of choice
- Few sprigs fresh thyme, for garnish
- Special equipment: Large roasting pan, approximately 12 3/4 by 16 1/2 inches.
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a saucepan, melt the butter for the bechamel, and add the flour, stirring gently to make a smooth paste. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the milk. Turn the heat back on to medium, and stir the bechamel until it begins to thicken and come to the boil. Let it bubble for about 5 minutes to get rid of the floury taste. Take off the heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter and the oil in a large wide pan. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid, and chop before adding to the pan with 3/4 cup chopped parsley, the dried or fresh thyme, and garlic. Stir for a couple of minutes then melt the remaining 1 stick of butter in the same pan and add the chopped mushrooms, stirring for about 5 minutes. The mushrooms will appear dry at first but will eventually start to give off some liquid.
Add the porcini soaking liquid, which the mushrooms will largely absorb, but keep stirring and add the sherry and let it bubble away. Turn off the heat when you have a bronzed, syrupy stew.
Stir the mushroom mixture into the bechamel and add 1 cup of the Parmesan and the other 3/4 cup of the chopped parsley. Put a big pan of water on for the pasta, and when it boils, salt it well. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and add to the mushroomy white sauce, stirring it as best you can to get the pasta covered.
Turn into the large roasting pan and sprinkle over the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden in places.
When the tin comes out of the oven, decorate with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped parsley and some sprigs of fresh thyme.
Photo: Big Pasta with Mushroom, Parsley, Garlic and Thyme Recipe
















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By jessyj83
on August 10, 2012
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I may be biased because I love mushroom made any way. This recipe is great. I cut it in half because my spouse does not share my love for shrooms, but it still made plenty. The recipe is labor intensive but worth it. If you are looking for a simple recipe this is not for you. I used white wine instead of Sherry cuz that what I had on hand and it totally works. I used way more garlic because you can't go wrong with extra garlic and I added a shallot to the sautee.This recipe will surely impress any guests so if you want to wow people make this. This is definately resturant quality and well worth the expsense. This is going to be a recipe I make when I entertain.... I also cut the cutter and used olive oil for the sautee as well. I could not in good conscience use all the butter listed.
By miss_m
on July 31, 2012
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This is one of my favourite comfort foods... So lovely and creamy, yum!
By alex_sp46
Carmel, NY
on February 28, 2012
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I made it for New Year's first family dinner. I love it! This is the best mushroom pasta sauce I have ever made. My husband and I like porcini a lot and I will make this again for sure. I just think I will convert to half recipe as usually we are two adults and two little kiddos and the recipe is for a larger group.
Update (02.28.12: It freezes very well. The trick is to let it tawn in the fridge before heating it up, so you don't break the pasta.
Read all 36 reviews