Fresh Pasta with Mushrooms & Tomatoes

Patience has never been one of my virtues. When it comes getting to a meal ready when I’m hungry, patience really goes go out the window. I try to cook nutritional food, even when I’m tired. Pasta tossed with lots of sauteed mushrooms and bright cherry tomatoes is the recipe of the day. Earthy mushrooms, tangy tomatoes and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice make it a hit in my home. Healthy, wholesome and ready in under 30 minutes! 

Pasta with Mushrooms & Tomatoes Recipe 

Serves 4

Some notes:

Any fresh or dried pasta will work here. I’d go for a smaller shaped pasta like penne. This sauce goes well with ravioli too.

I use fresh, pillow-soft, cavatelli for this recipe. It’s made with a little ricotta cheese. I buy it from Fior D’ Italia. They use only the finest ingredients and all natural products:http://thepastaman.com/.    

I happen to love oregano and parsley in this dish. But it's great with basil or a little fresh rosemary too.

Ingredients 

• 2 pints of ripe cherry or grape tomatoes. Sliced or quartered, depending on their size
• 1 16-ounce container of mushrooms, slice them thinly. You can use regular button mushrooms or cremini.
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced. I mince it on a microplane zester.
• 1 small lemon, zested   
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano. When adding it to the pan, rub it between your fingers to release its flavor.
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• A good handful of chopped flat leaf parsley or herb of your choice
• Two 12-ounce packages of fresh smaller shaped pasta or fresh ravioli
• For serving: grated Parmesan cheese, red chili flakes, drizzle of olive oil

Instructions  

Put a pot of water on the stove and cook the pasta according to the package directions. If using fresh pasta, taste it as it cooks. Don’t over cook it. It’ll go mushy quickly. It should be soft but al dente when it’s done.

Place a large nonstick fry pan on the stove. Heat the olive oil in the pan on medium or medium high. Add the sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper and saute them until they’re soft and tender. It may seem like a lot of mushrooms, but they’ll cook down. Once the mushrooms are done, add the minced garlic, lemon zest, oregano and tomatoes. Add a little more salt and pepper. Saute the tomatoes until they’re warmed through and the garlic has lost some of its bite. Add the parsley and a squirt or two of fresh lemon juice. Toss with the pasta and garnish with the cheese and/or red chili pepper flakes (if using) and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Bon Appetit!