This tempting dish is named for a fictional character in one of Daniel Silva's international thrillers. Chiara, a native of Venice, is an undercover agent herself, but she often prepares this dish for her husband when he returns from one of his dangerous exploits, and the description of it always gets our mouths watering. I once wrote to the author asking for the recipe, and in fact suggested he put together a cookbook of all Chiara's authentic Italian dishes! To my surprise, I received a response saying that many readers had made a similar request and they actually had one in the works. Hmm.. .we'll see if that ever happens. Meanwhile, enjoy this delicious dish that is the epitome of comfort, whether you're capturing spies or simply watching the news.
Ingredients
4 ounces unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ pounds fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced (You can use less, say 1 pound, but we like lots of mushrooms of all types)
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound fettuccine
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Before you start, remember to clean the mushrooms, but do not rinse. Use a dry paper towel to rub each one.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the garlic and cook for one minute, then add the mushrooms and saute until mushrooms have softened and turned a deep brown color, about 10 minutes.
Add the cream and simmer over low heat.
Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine in a large pot according to package directions, adding a generous pinch of salt to the boiling water before putting in the pasta.
When noodles are al dente, about 11-12 minutes in the boiling water, reserve about a cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.
Return the fettuccine to the pot and add the mushroom sauce to the hot pasta in the pot, tossing with tongs to mix well.
Add the Parmesan and the pasta water, season with salt and pepper if desired.
Put onto serving plates, sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired, and serve hot..
Recipe by Food and Friendship at https://www.foodandfriendshipsantabarbara.com/2020/11/14/mushroom-season/