Stuffed mushroom pasta bake

Stuffed mushrooms are one of the best party treats around, so the idea of taking the flavors and ingredients of stuffed mushrooms and putting them into a pasta dish seemed pretty smart to me! I saw a recipe in Gourmet Today that inspired this dish. As soon as I read it, I knew I had to make it. I'd never worked with dried porcini mushrooms before, so I was glad to try a new ingredient, too. My husband and I are big, big mushroom lovers (although I despised them as a kid -- it's funny how your tastes change over time). He is also a beginner at mushroom foraging and I'm looking forward to some of his finds this year. We won't find any porcini mushrooms around here, but they are very flavorful and are perfect in this pasta dish.

We enjoyed this meal a lot. I cut down on the amount of breadcrumbs, and would maybe even cut them back a little further. It really did taste like a stuffed mushroom. It was very earthy and also pretty garlicky. This recipe will serve about four to six people as a main dish. Serve it with a green side salad for a complete meal. 

  
Stuffed mushroom pasta bake
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
2 cups fresh bread crumbs (from a loaf of Italian bread)
5 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/4 lbs. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 lb. gemelli or other spiral pasta

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 13x9-in baking dish.

Put the dried porcinis in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Set aside for about 20 minutes.

Spread the breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until dried and golden, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool on the pan.

Transfer the cooled breadcrumbs to a bowl with half of the garlic, parsley, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup cheese. Toss together.

Lift the porcinis out of the soaking liquid, squeezing excess liquid into the bowl. Rinse them for grit, place the procinis on a cutting board, and finely chop. Pour the soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into another bowl and reserve.

Cook the pasta until just under al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup water. Place in baking dish with the water.

Heat butter and remaining olive oil in a heavy-bottom skillet until warm. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until golden. Add the mushrooms, remaining garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook, stirring often, until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved porcini liquid and stock. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 1 minute. Add to the baking dish along with the remaining cheese. Toss until the well-combined.

Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

What was I cooking one year ago?: chicken, mushroom, and millet skillet
Two years ago?: granola bars