Description
Enjoy a creamy caramelized leek and mushroom Gruyère pasta, packed with rich flavors for a comforting and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3 medium leeks, tops removed, cut in half and thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup sherry wine
- 8 ounces oyster mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 sage leaves
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 lb fettuccine
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup grated gruyere
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add the sliced leeks to the pan and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar. Cook the leeks until they turn golden brown and caramelize, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. If the pan gets too dry, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water to ensure the leeks do not burn.
- Once the leeks are caramelized, pour in the ⅓ cup of sherry wine and continue to cook until the wine has reduced. After that, remove the leeks from the pan and set them aside.
- In the same pan, melt another tablespoon of butter. Spread the 8 ounces of sliced oyster mushrooms in an even layer, making sure they are not overcrowded. Allow them to sit undisturbed for about 4 minutes, then flip to brown the other side. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add the minced garlic and sage leaves to the pan, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the caramelized leeks, followed by ¾ cup of heavy cream, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a simmer and continue to cook until thickened, which should take about 2-3 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper as needed for flavor.
- Meanwhile, cook the 1 pound of fettuccine in a large pot of salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the cooking pasta water.
- Add the cooked fettuccine to the sauce along with the reserved 1 cup of pasta water, ½ cup of grated Gruyere cheese, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated and the cheese has melted into a creamy sauce. Let it simmer for 2 minutes more.
- Portion the pasta into 4 bowls and garnish with ¼ cup of toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately and enjoy the beautiful medley of flavors!