Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Step 1

Prepare the mushrooms: Trim the stems off the mushrooms. Tear the caps into generous bite-sized pieces - you want a nice chunky texture.

Step 2

Bring a large (5-6 quarts) water to a boil along with 4 tablespoons kosher salt (use half the amount of regular table salt). Cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Before draining the pasta, scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and reserve.

Step 3

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and spread them out in one layer. Cook 5 minutes without stirring. Give the pan a shake and stir the mushrooms around. Cook another 5 minutes.

Step 4

At this point, the mushrooms should be taking on some color and releasing some liquid. Add 1 teaspoon salt, shallots, garlic, thyme and chili and stir well. Cook until the shallots are softened, about 2 minutes.

Step 5

Add the lemon juice, creme fraiche and parsley to the mushrooms. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Add 1/3 cup of the reserved water and stir, scraping the pan to release any browned bits.

Step 6

Put the cooked pasta in the pan and use tongs to toss in the sauce. Add a bit more pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.