Creamy mushroom pasta

Tender pasta smothered in rich mushroom gravy, spruced up with Parmesan and pine nuts.

Ingredients

Water

250 ml, boiling

Mushrooms

15 g, dried, Porcini

White pasta, dry

8 oz, bow tie or other shapes

Olive Oil

2 teaspoons

Garlic

2 clove(s), (medium size) crushed

Mushrooms

300 g

Cornflour

1 tablespoons, level

Salt

1 pinch, to taste

Black pepper

½ teaspoons

Spinach

180 g, (baby) pack

Parmesan Cheese

2 tablespoons, grated, grated

Pine nuts

2 tablespoons, lightly toasted

Instructions

1. Place dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain mushrooms through a paper towel-lined sieve, reserving soaking liquid. Rinse mushrooms to remove any leftover grit and chop into small pieces; set mushrooms and soaking liquid aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
3. While the pasta is cooking heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and fresh and dried mushrooms and cook until fresh mushrooms wilt and release juice, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Dissolve cornflour in 4 tbsp of cold water and add to pan with the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Simmer 1 minute, until sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Drain the pasta and add to the hot mushroom sauce, add spinach and toss to combine (hot sauce will wilt spinach leaves).
6. Add Parmesan and pine kernels and mix well.NB. Vegetarians should use vegetarian parmesan.