Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Crispy Kale Chips
Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Crispy Kale Chips
A silky mushroom cream pasta finished with crunchy baked kale chips, suitable for vegetarians as is and easily made vegan. Works with fresh or dried mushrooms, single variety or a blend.
Finished with parmesan, lemon and fresh herbs, it's a simple and comforting meal that lets the mushrooms shine.
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 25 grams Fleur de Fungi dried mushrooms ( any Oyster Mushroom variety ), or 200 g fresh, pulled
- 250 ml warm water (not boiling), for soaking (for dried mushrooms only)
- 200 gr pasta (tagliatelle, fettuccine or spaghetti
- 1 tablespoons olive oil + 1 tablespoons olive oil, for the kale
- 1 tablespoons butter, or a plant based butter
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 0.5 cup thickened cream, or cashew cream
- 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan, or nutritional yeast or a vegan hard cheese
- 1 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
-
2 cups kale leaves, stems removed and torn into pieces
- 1 pinch sea salt, to taste
- 1 cup vegetable stock (if using dried mushrooms replace it with soaking liquid)
Fresh Mixed Mushrooms - Steps:
1. Bake the kale chips: Preheat oven to 160°C. Toss 2 cups kale leaves, stems removed and torn into pieces with 1 teaspoons olive oil, for the kale and a pinch of 1 pinch sea salt, to taste. Spread in a single layer on a tray and bake until crisp but not browned. Set aside.
2. Prep the mushrooms: Slice or tear 200 grams fresh mixed mushrooms, sliced into bite sized pieces.
3. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook 200 grams pasta (tagliatelle, fettuccine or spaghetti, use a vegan pasta for a fully vegan dish) according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain.
4. Saute the mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden and their moisture has released, about 6 to 7 minutes.
5. Add aromatics: Push the mushrooms to one side, add 1 tablespoons butter, or a plant based butter for vegan, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and 1 shallot, finely diced, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Keep the heat at medium so the garlic doesn't catch.
6. Build the sauce: Pour in 1 cup vegetable stock and let it reduce slightly. Lower the heat, then stir in half cup thickened cream, or full fat coconut cream or cashew cream for vegan, 1 teaspoons lemon zest and 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan, or nutritional yeast or a vegan hard cheese until smooth and glossy. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
7. Combine: Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, loosening with a splash of reserved pasta water if needed. Finish with 1 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped.
8. Serve: Plate immediately, topping with the crispy kale chips, extra parmesan or vegan cheese and cracked black pepper.
4. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook 200 grams pasta (tagliatelle, fettuccine or spaghetti, use a vegan pasta for a fully vegan dish) according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain.
Dried Mushrooms - Steps:
1. Bake the kale chips: Preheat oven to 160°C. Toss 2 cups kale leaves, stems removed and torn into pieces with 1 teaspoons olive oil, for the kale and a pinch of 1 pinch sea salt, to taste. Spread in a single layer on a tray and bake until crisp but not browned. Set aside.
2. Rehydrate the mushrooms: Place 25 grams Fleur de Fungi dried Oyster Mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 250 milliliters warm water, for soaking, not boiling (warm, not boiling). Soak until softened.
3. Prep the mushrooms: Gently squeeze excess liquid from the mushrooms and roughly tear into bite sized pieces. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve and reserve ½ cup for the sauce.
4. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook 200 grams pasta (tagliatelle, fettuccine or spaghetti, use a vegan pasta for a fully vegan dish) according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain.
5. Saute the mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the rehydrated mushrooms and cook until they crisp at the edges, about 5 minutes
6. Add aromatics: Push the mushrooms to one side, add 1 tablespoons butter, or a plant based butter, 2 garlic cloves - finely chopped and 1 shallot - finely diced, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Keep the heat at medium so the garlic doesn't catch.
7. Build the sauce: Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and let it reduce slightly. Lower the heat, then stir in 0.5 cups thickened cream, or cashew cream, 1 teaspoons lemon zest and 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan, or nutritional yeast or a vegan hard cheese until smooth and glossy. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
8. Combine: Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, loosening with a splash of reserved pasta water if needed. Finish with 1 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped.
9. Serve: Plate immediately, topping with the crispy kale chips, extra parmesan or vegan cheese and cracked black pepper.
Chef's Tip 🍄
The mushroom soaking liquid is packed with flavour. Strain it through a fine sieve and use it in the sauce for extra depth and a richer mushroom finish.