Rigatoni with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

shroom pasta, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I saw this pasta dish cooked on television just a few days ago. Immediately I went to my planning calendar to make some changes to the meal plan, because it looked just that good, And you know what? It was as good as it looked, if not better. Amazing, in fact. I am a huge fan of creme sauce. I think I like this one the best. The mascarpone cheese added a depth of flavor that cream could not even dream of. And mushrooms with pasta, whats not to love?

The only change I made - the pasta. I did not have rigatoni. I was not able to make it to the store, so I used penne. Not bad, but with this sauce the larger tube of the rigatoni would help in capturing the flavor, so next time I will make sure it is in the house. Bo also loved it, and looks forward to the leftovers for tomorrow lunch.

Rigatoni with Creamy Mushroom Sauce (From Giada De Laurentiis)

* 1 pound rigatoni pasta
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 shallots, minced
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound assorted mushrooms, (such as cremini, shiitake and button), cleaned and sliced
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 1/2 cup vegetable stock
* 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes until all the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese. Stir until creamy. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to coat pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives. Serve immediately.