Rachel Roddy's Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Soft Cheese Recipe
Rachel Roddy's recipe for spaghetti with mushrooms, soft cheese, and herbs offers a delightful supper option that combines earthy mushrooms with a creamy, silky texture from soft cheese. This dish highlights the hidden depths of flavor found in mushrooms, enhanced by aromatic herbs and garlic.
The Science and Flavor of Mushrooms
Before cooking, it's insightful to consider the science behind mushrooms, as noted by food expert Harold McGee. Mushrooms are fruiting bodies that push through soil to release spores, much like pushy parents aiming to spread the next generation. When purchased from a supermarket, these mushrooms, such as white or chestnut varieties, may have already released millions of spores before harvesting.
Contrary to common descriptions of mushrooms as merely earthy, McGee points out that they can emit faint scents of waxy citrus peel, yeast, almond, and chicken fat due to octanol molecules. Cooking enhances these aromas, particularly the almond notes, and introduces a meat-malt flavor when mushrooms are sautéed with butter and garlic.
Ingredients and Adjustments
For this recipe, garlic plays a crucial role, but its potency can vary, especially before the new season. It's advisable to sniff and adjust the quantity to avoid bitterness. The recipe suggests using two small cloves—one whole at the start and one minced later—but half a minced clove might suffice depending on strength.
Herbs like parsley are ideal, but alternatives such as dill, fennel fronds, or finely chopped chives work well too. As for the soft cheese, numerous options have been tested successfully, including robiola, cream cheese, ricotta (which benefits from extra parmesan for flavor), soft goat's cheese, Philadelphia, and Boursin.
Cooking Technique for Perfect Texture
A key step in this recipe is tossing the pasta vigorously in a sloping-sided pan or wok to combine all elements. This action helps knock starch off the pasta surface, which then mixes with fat, soft cheese, and starchy cooking water to form a binding agent. The result is a loose, silky texture that is both satisfying and visually appealing in its beige hue.
Recipe Instructions
Serves 4
- 20g butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small garlic cloves, peeled (one left whole, one finely minced)
- 400g mushrooms (button, chestnut, or field), rubbed clean and quartered
- Salt and black pepper
- 150g soft cheese (e.g., robiola, cream cheese, soft goat's cheese, Philadelphia)
- 2 heaped tbsp grated parmesan
- 1 tsp minced herbs (parsley, dill, fennel fronds, or chives)
- 500g spaghetti, linguine, spaghettone, or tagliatelle
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil for the pasta.
- In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the whole garlic clove, and once the butter foams, stir in the mushrooms. Fry briskly, moving them with a wooden spoon until they reduce in size and release liquid.
- Add the minced garlic, reduce heat, and let sizzle gently. If the pan seems dry, remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook until al dente as per packet instructions.
- In a small bowl, mix the soft cheese, parmesan, black pepper, and herbs with a little pasta cooking water to form a soft cream.
- Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it directly to the mushroom pan using a spider or spaghetti fork. Toss well over low heat.
- Scrape in the creamy cheese mixture and toss again, adding more pasta water if needed to achieve a loose, silky texture. Serve immediately.
This recipe is a testament to simple ingredients coming together to create a flavorful and comforting meal, perfect for a quick supper or a cozy dinner.
