Tagliatelle With Mushrooms In Brown Butter With Fresh Sage And Grana Padano* Recipe

Bring water to a boil

Fill a large pot with at least 4 liters (about 16 cups) of water. Bring to a rolling boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. The water should taste like the sea.

Cook the pasta

Add 12 oz tagliatelle and cook until al dente according to package instructions (usually 7–9 minutes for fresh, 9–11 for dried). Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining and set aside. Do not rinse the pasta.

Prepare mushrooms

Trim and slice the mushrooms to roughly uniform thickness (about 1/4"). Pat dry with paper towel if very wet to avoid steaming.

Sweat shallot and garlic

In a large wide skillet over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter foams, add the minced shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the sliced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Sauté mushrooms

Turn heat up to medium-high. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer (work in two batches if necessary). Let them sear without stirring for 2–3 minutes to develop color, then stir and continue cooking 3–4 minutes until mushrooms are golden and liquid has mostly evaporated. Season with 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Brown the butter

In a separate small saucepan or a second skillet over medium heat, add 8 tablespoons unsalted butter. Melt and continue cooking, swirling occasionally. After 4–6 minutes the butter will foam, then the milk solids will turn golden brown and emit a nutty aroma. Watch carefully to avoid burning; remove from heat as soon as it reaches amber-brown.

Crisp the sage

When the butter is nearly browned, add the 12 fresh sage leaves to the butter and fry 20–30 seconds until crisp and fragrant. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crisped sage to a paper towel to drain and reserve for garnish. Keep the brown butter warm off the heat.

Combine pasta and mushrooms

Return the mushroom skillet to medium-low. Add the drained tagliatelle to the mushrooms. Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water into the pan and toss to combine, loosening the pasta and allowing sauce to emulsify. If needed, add up to the remaining reserved water to reach a silky coating.

Add brown butter and cheese

Pour the warm brown butter (including any browned bits) over the pasta and mushrooms. Toss gently to coat. Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup of the grated Grana Padano, tossing quickly so the cheese melts into the sauce. If the sauce seems dry, add a splash of pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until glossy.

Adjust seasoning and finish

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Stir in 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice if using, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley if desired for color.

Plate and garnish

Divide the pasta among 4 warmed bowls (serves 4). Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Grana Padano over each portion and top with the reserved crisped sage leaves. Finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired and a few turns of black pepper.