Spring Asparagus and Mushroom Fettuccine

My goal was to prepare a pasta dish that would give spring asparagus its due. As luck would have it, I was given some freshly-foraged morel mushrooms by one of my coworkers, who is also a TFC reader (thank you)! Mushrooms and asparagus are a great combination! This pasta dish is super easy, once you get your chopping done! [ELIN’s TIP: Morel mushrooms are very gritty – make sure you soak them and clean them thoroughly!]

While you wait for your water to boil, you can chop your mushrooms and cook the sauce. Using fresh fettuccine lets you pull the whole dish together quickly. PIN this and put it on your list for “meatless Monday”.

Prep time: 20 minutes; Cook time: 20 minutes; Serves: 4 – 6 people

What you need:

• 30 oz mixed mushrooms (I used a combination of white, cremini and oyster mushrooms along with the morels)
• 1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed and cut on the bias approximately 2″
• 1 medium-large onion, small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 lb fresh fettuccine
• truffle oil (optional)
• fresh parsley (garnish)
• fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

What you do:

• Put your pot of salted water on to boil
• In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, add oil

• Add onions and garlic, stir, cook approximately 2 minutes

• Add mushrooms, cook 5 minutes

• Add salt and pepper

• Stir
• Add asparagus

• Cook approximately 10 minutes until asparagus is almost cooked (it should still have a slight crunch to it)
• Add chopped basil

• Put your fresh fettuccine in the boiling water, when it returns to a boil cook approximately 3 – 5 minutes until al dente
• Add lemon juice (this will be the last step right before you add the pasta) and stir

• Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
• In your large (now empty pot) add the pasta back.

• Add the mushroom-asparagus mix and stir, tossing the pasta in the sauce (I added the pasta to the mushroom-asparagus mix in the pan, and while it fit, it was very awkward to stir. I should have used the method described above and added the mix to the pasta in the pot, as that would have given me more room to toss the sauce and pasta)
• If you need a little more liquid, add some of your pasta water
• Serve with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

• Drizzle with truffle oil (optional)

• Have leftovers? Add some of the pasta water to the leftover pasta prior to putting it in the refrigerator