Wild Mushroom Pappardelle & Rutherford Red Blend

Serves: 4-6

Time: 35 minutes

Wine Pairing: 2020 Rutherford Red Blend

Earthy in aroma and decadent in their chewy-meets-soft texture, mushrooms are a divine addition to any dish. In this recipe, we let the flavors of wild mushrooms shine alongside garlic, shallots, and sage. Although you can use half and half or chicken broth for your liquid as well, we suggest opting for a sauvignon blanc, which adds a wonderfully subtle layer of flavor. Pair with a bottle of our 2020 Rutherford Red Blend, as the fresh herbs and big fall flavors in this dish pair wonderfully with the herbal notes found in cabernet from this region.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup white wine or chicken broth (or half and half of both!)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 ½ pounds wild mushrooms, sliced or halved if large (we like using shiitake mushrooms)
• 1 ½ tablespoons salt, separated
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 pound pappardelle
• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 cup parmesan shavings

Instructions:

1. Fill a large stockpot of water, set on the stove over high heat, and bring to a boil. 
2. Place olive oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat, and melt the butter. Add in shallots and saute for 8 minutes, then add sage, garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme, and saute for another 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine, and stir in tomato paste. Toss in mushrooms and stir everything together until combined. Season with ½ tablespoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Let cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat, until mushrooms are softened but have a bite to them.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of salt and pappardelle into the large pot of boiling water. Cook according to the instructions on the packaging. Strain pasta but reserve ½ – 1 cup of pasta water. Toss cooked pasta with the mushroom sauce and if the sauce seems dry, add in some pasta water. 
4. Toast pine nuts by adding them to a skillet over low heat, and gently stirring for 5-10 minutes, until they are lightly golden brown.
5. Serve pasta in a large bowl and garnish with toasted pine nuts and shaved parmesan cheese.

Test Kitchen Tip: Looking for some extra protein? Add some of your favorite type of sausage in here!