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

Bring water to a boil

Fill a large pot with at least 4 liters of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons coarse salt.

Cook tagliatelle

Add the fresh tagliatelle to the boiling water and cook until al dente—usually 2–4 minutes for fresh, 7–9 minutes for dried. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Reserve 250 ml of the pasta cooking water before draining, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Prepare mushrooms

While the pasta water heats, trim and slice the mushrooms into even pieces (larger mushrooms into 1 cm slices). Pat them dry with paper towel to encourage browning.

Sauté shallots and garlic

Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add the sliced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Cook mushrooms

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sliced mushrooms, spread them in a single layer, and let them brown undisturbed for 2–3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook until deeply golden and any released liquid has mostly evaporated, about 5–7 minutes total. Season with 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set pan aside while you prepare the brown butter.

Make brown butter and crisp sage

In a separate small skillet or the same cleared sauté pan, melt 120 g unsalted butter over medium heat. Swirl or stir occasionally; the butter will foam, then turn nutty brown and smell toasty (about 4–6 minutes). Watch closely to avoid burning. Just before the butter reaches a deep amber, add the sage leaves in a single layer and fry them for 20–40 seconds until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crisp sage to a plate lined with paper towel. Continue cooking the butter another 10–15 seconds if needed for the desired brown color, then remove the pan from the heat.

Combine pasta and mushrooms

Return the mushroom pan to medium-low heat. Add the drained tagliatelle to the mushrooms. Pour the warm brown butter (including the browned milk solids) over the pasta and mushrooms. Toss gently with tongs to combine. Add 100–150 ml of the reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce that coats the pasta, tossing until the sauce emulsifies and clings to the noodles.

Finish with cheese and seasoning

Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 80 g finely grated Grana Padano and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional) to brighten flavors. If the sauce seems tight, add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Plate and garnish

Divide the pasta among warm plates. Top each portion with the crisp sage leaves and a grind of black pepper. Sprinkle extra grated Grana Padano and chopped parsley if using. Serve immediately.