WILD MUSHROOM & BLUE CHEESE TAGLIATELLE
There are some dinners that just feel like a big cosy jumper in food form – and this is one of them. Creamy, earthy, a bit nutty (literally), and packed with mushrooms, this pasta is my go-to when I want something that tastes a bit fancy but doesn’t involve faffing about for hours.
It’s got toasted sourdough crumbs for crunch, blue cheese for that lovely tang, and mushrooms for a bit of woodsy goodness. Plus, if you're anything like me and tend to have half a bag of pasta, a wedge of cheese, and some wilting parsley lurking in the fridge – you're already halfway there.
Serve it up with lemon wedges and a glass of whatever you’ve got open. It’s a proper treat, but not in a "delicate restaurant portion" way – this is big-bowl, second-helpings kind of stuff.
ServeS 4
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Total time 40 minutes
you will need
2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 large handfuls wild mushrooms, halved if large
2 large slices sourdough bread
½ cup walnuts or pecans
Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 large eggs
¼ cup cream
100g mild blue cheese
400g dried tagliatelle pasta
Olive oil
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Extra parsley, finely chopped, to serve (optional)
Lemon wedges, to serve
Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F).
Scatter the walnuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 8 minutes or until starting to brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
Add the sourdough to a food processor along with half the cooled walnuts and the parsley. Season with cracked black pepper and a little sea salt, then blitz into fine breadcrumbs.
In a bowl, mix the cream and crumbled blue cheese together. Crack in the eggs and whisk well to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for 9–10 minutes, or until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the breadcrumb and nut mix and toast, stirring often, for 4–5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Wipe out the pan with a clean paper towel and return it to the heat. Add a glug of olive oil.
Toss in the mushrooms, season with a pinch of salt, and fry for 3–4 minutes or until softened, stirring once or twice. Drain on paper towel and keep warm in a low oven.
When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water using tongs or a pasta fork and transfer to the frying pan, adding 3–4 tablespoons of the pasta water. Reserve the remaining pasta water.
Remove the pan from the heat. Quickly pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Use the tongs to lift and toss the pasta, mixing thoroughly so the egg mixture thickens (but doesn’t scramble) and coats everything evenly. Add the mushrooms and toss again to combine.
Serve with a spoonful or two of toasted breadcrumbs on top, a few of the remaining walnuts, and extra chopped parsley if desired.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a good crack of black pepper.