Mushroom Linguine in Mascarpone Cream

Leftover mascarpone, leftover half-and-half, always a chunk of parm in the fridge—sounds like pasta sauce to me. It’s cheesy, creamy, rich, and delicious—and not so light. This is one of those occasional, “Okay, let’s indulge a little” dinners.

I added three ounces of chopped pancetta to the dish simply for the flavor base it adds to the sauce, but you can skip the bacon and make this a scrumptious and satisfying vegetarian dinner, if you perfer.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz linguine
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 6 oz mascarpone (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 oz pancetta, chopped
• 12 oz crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

Preparation

1. Cook the linguine in boiling, salted water until al dente, 9-10 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. When melted, add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes.
3. Add the half-and-half, chicken broth, mascarpone, and Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer and cook, stirring to melt the cheeses, 2-3 minutes.
4. Combine the water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir into the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is creamy and barely thickened, 10 minutes.

Shallot and Garlic in Butter 

Sauce Beginning to Cook

Cooked Sauce

1. Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook 3 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 minutes.

Pancetta Beginning to Cook 

Mushroom Mixture Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Mushroom Mixture

1. Add the cooked linguine, mascarpone sauce, and 2 tablespoon parsley to the mushroom mixture, stirring to incorporate. Cook until hot throughout, 2-3 minutes.

Pasta and Sauce Added

To serve, divide the pasta and sauce among 4 shallow bowls and garnish with more chopped parsley.

Mushroom Linguine in Mascarpone Cream