Two nights ago I was hungry for pasta. I needed a quick fix and then I spotted the leftover container of sautéed mushrooms from dinner the night before in the fridge.
They were leftover because I had decided to cook the entire large container of organic “baby bella” mushrooms purchased at Costco earlier that week.
Not wanting to risk throwing them away because they got too old I decided to err on the side of cooking them all and reinventing the leftovers in another meal.
It didn’t take me long to remember one of my favorite quick pasta dishes with mushrooms, and this time it was even quicker, cause my mushrooms were already sautéed to a rich brown color in olive oil, butter, and garlic!
Here is some interesting info on mushrooms I found online …
• Did you know that most of the table mushrooms we eat are all of the same variety? Its name is Agaricus bisporus, according to Wikipedia, and it includes portobello, cremini, and white button mushrooms.
• The difference between these popular varieties of mushrooms is just age. The white button mushrooms, those very familiar kitchen staples, are simply the youngest variety. They have been cultivated, too, for that white color and soft texture. In the wild these mushrooms are usually browner.
• The portobello is the most mature mushroom here; it’s really just an overgrown white mushroom! They are left to grow for longer, until they have spread out into that delicious meaty cap.
• The cremini mushroom, then, is just in between these two varieties. It’s a moderately mature version of the white button mushroom, which is why it has a similar flavor. It’s younger than the portobello, but still related, which is why these are sometimes sold as “baby bella” or “baby portobello” mushrooms.
The slightly more mature state means they are browner in color, firmer in texture, and more flavorful than the younger white mushroom.
As a result they hold up well in soups and stews.
With Pappardelle pasta from Trader Joe’s in the pantry (love that!) I quickly brought a pot of water to boil, and while the pasta was cooking reheated the sautéed mushrooms, added a bit more crushed garlic, butter and olive oil, and chopped up some fresh parsley.
When the pasta was al dente (please don’t overcook), I drained it and tossed it around in the skillet with the mushrooms, sprinkled with the chives, and served with a generous amount of freshly grated pecorino romano cheese and a grinding of fresh pepper. Yum Yum!
