Farro Pasta with Chanterelles, Shallots, Thyme, and Farmer Cheese
A16 - San Francisco
We love this nutty, earthy pasta dish from San Francisco–based chef Rocky Maselli, who has also been certified as a pizzaiolo in Naples. “Get the pan really, really hot before adding the mushrooms—you don't want to steam them, you want to sear them,” he warns. “Wild mushrooms have a lot of water in them, and they get too wet if the pan isn't hot enough. Wait until you see a little smoke coming from the pan—I always set the smoke alarm off when I cook at home.”
Ingredients
- 1 pound farro pasta
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- Coarse salt to taste
- Ground pepper to taste
- 1 pound chanterelles, trimmed and thinly sliced (shiitake or oyster mushroom can be substituted)
- 2 1/2 cups Lifeway Whole Milk Kefir
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 cup Lifeway Farmer Cheese
- 4 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
Method
Cook the pasta: in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Sauté the vegetables: in a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chanterelles. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and begin to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the kefir and thyme to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 to 4 minutes.
Transfer the mushroom mixture to the cooked pasta in the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the farmer cheese and parsley. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.
Yield
4 to 6 servings
