This dish hails from northern Italy, where the climate is mushroom-happy and cream sauces are the norm. In lean times, frugal Italian cooks often substituted mushrooms for meat in dishes like this one because their meaty texture and earthy flavor give the sauce real substance. I often make this as a veggie option for parties, and even the carnivores go for it.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1 pound rigatoni pasta

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 shallots, minced

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 pound assorted mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake, or button), cleaned and sliced

　　1/2 cup dry white wine

　　1/2 cup vegetable broth

　　1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

　　1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes, or until all the liquid evaporates. Add the broth and simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced.

　　

Step 3

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir until creamy. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.