Sage Shiitake Fettuccine
Sage somehow sparks Christmas memories with its surprisingly wintery aroma. When paired with shiitake mushrooms, a faintly-sweet parmesan base, and a small kick of heat, a few sprigs of sage become the unsuspecting hero(ine) in this pasta dish. I made this dish during spring break, but it’s such a straightforward and fast recipe that it can be made anytime in the year, even as a luxurious weeknight dinner!
Ingredients:
1 lb fettuccine
12-14 shiitake mushrooms (large, flat topped ones not the button shaped ones)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red chili flakes
80g white wine
230g heavy cream
90-100g parmesan cheese
5 sprigs of sage
Steps:
Cook fettuccine to just under al dente in salted, boiling water, around 6-7 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
Rinse and thinly slice your shiitake mushrooms. Use a paper towel to squeeze out excess liquid — this will cut down moisture while you make your sauce.
In a saucepan, melt oil and butter over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic, minced shallots, salt, black pepper, and red chili flakes until fragrant, making sure not to burn them. Pour in white wine and cook off the alcohol. Add in shiitake mushrooms and sauté until soft.
Reduce heat to low and pour in heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Keep on low heat and stir constantly to avoid the sauce splitting. Increase heat to medium until sauce begins to thicken and reaches a small simmer. Toss fettuccine in sauce and cook on medium low for another 2-3 minutes.
Turn off heat. Strip the sage leaves off the twigs and toss into fettuccine.
Plate with extra parmesan and sage.
Additional Notes
I used homemade fettuccine when I made this dish.