- 200g portobello mushrooms
- 200g white mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 1 chilli
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon
- A large handful of flat leaf parsley
- 75g chifferini pasta
- 100g Petit Brebis sheep's cheese
- 50g baby leaf spinach
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Large pan with a lid
- Large frying pan
- 1.
Fill a pan with water and add a pinch of salt. Cover, set on the hob and bring to the boil.
- 2.
Thickly slice both the portobello and white mushrooms. Peel the onion and finely chop it. Halve the chilli, flicking out the seeds and pith for less heat. Finely chop the chilli. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves, popping 1 chopped clove into a small bowl for later.
- 3.
Pour 1 tsp oil into a large frying pan and warm to a medium-low heat. Slide in the mushrooms, onion, chilli and 1 chopped garlic clove. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, till just golden.
- 4.
Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley leaves and stalks and add to the bowl with the remaining garlic clove. Zest and juice in the lemon. Pour in 1 tsp oil and add a little salt and pepper. Stir to mix – this is your gremolata.
- 5.
After the mushrooms have cooked for 10 mins, the water in the pan should be boiling. Tip in the chifferini and simmer for 7-8 mins, till tender.
- 6.
Meanwhile, turn the heat under the mushrooms down a little and add a splash of water if they start to pick up too much colour. When the pasta is cooked, scoop out half a mugful of the cooking water (mind your fingers – or use a ladle). Drain the pasta.
- 7.
Add the pasta to the mushrooms. Dollop in the sheep’s cheese and stir in 3 tbsp of the reserved pasta water. Fold in the spinach and stir to wilt it. Add a splash more pasta water to loosen the sauce, if needed.
- 8.
Divide the pasta between a couple of plates and serve topped with spoonfuls of the gremolata.