Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 350 g dry fettuccine pasta
- 15 g kosher salt
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 300 g cremini mushrooms, sliced roughly 5mm thick
- 150 g baby spinach, washed and dried
- 3 garlic, minced
Cream Sauce Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 250 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 60 g vegetarian parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Add the kosher salt, then drop in the fettuccine. Cook according to package instructions until al dente.
Before draining the cooked pasta, carefully scoop out and reserve about 250ml of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
While the pasta boils, heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and let them sit undisturbed for 3 minutes to develop a deep golden brown crust.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the mushrooms and stir constantly until fragrant, being careful not to let the garlic brown.
Pour the heavy cream into the skillet, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer, then slowly whisk in the grated vegetarian parmesan cheese and black pepper until the sauce is smooth.
Add the baby spinach to the gently bubbling cream sauce. Stir continuously until the leaves have collapsed and wilted completely into the sauce.
Transfer the drained pasta into the skillet. Toss vigorously to coat the noodles evenly. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add splashes of the reserved pasta water until a glossy, clinging sauce consistency is reached.
Serve immediately in warm bowls, topping with extra grated parmesan and cracked black pepper if desired.
Chef's Notes
- Always reserve more pasta water than you think you need. The starch in this water is the secret ingredient that binds the fats in the butter, cream, and cheese to the water base of the sauce, preventing a broken or greasy finish.
- For the best flavor, wipe your mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel rather than rinsing them under water. Mushrooms act like sponges and will absorb excess water, making it difficult to achieve a proper sear.
- Using a combination of olive oil and butter for the mushrooms provides the high smoke point needed for searing from the oil, along with the rich flavor and browning solids from the butter.
- Grate your own cheese from a block. Pre-grated cheeses are coated in anti-caking agents like cellulose, which prevents them from melting smoothly and can cause a grainy cream sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The sauce will thicken significantly as it cools.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water to help the sauce come back together.
