Creamy Mushrooms with Pasta
I, personally, don’t like cheese with this dish. The mushrooms are strong in the umami department and to combine them with another pungent flavor, by my palate, creates a bit of a conflict. Still, if you’re the kind of person who must have cheese on their pasta, go ahead and see if you find a blend of flavors that works for you.

1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
1 sprig thyme
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound pasta (elbow macaroni is perfect)

1. Using a cloth or paper towel, clean mushrooms to remove the grit and dirt. Finely chop mushrooms and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sauté shallots and thyme until soft, 3 minutes. Add the remaining butter and mushrooms and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add the wine, reduce heat to medium, cover and sauté 5 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.
3. While the mushrooms cook, in a small bowl stir together the heavy cream, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Also, start cooking the pasta – and cook 2 minutes less than indicated on the package (elbow macaroni take about 9 minutes). When the wine has mostly evaporated, stir the dairy mixture into the mushrooms, as well as the chives. Reduce heat to low, and stir until well-combined. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the skillet, and stir to distribute mushrooms throughout. Add some of the reserved pasta water if the mixture seems too dry. Remove from heat, divide among the bowls, and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6