Giada's Rigatoni with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Now that Will actually enjoys eating mushrooms (this was somewhat of a battle in our dating years and the first year of our marriage) I try and incorporate them into many of my meal plans. I came across this recipe while doing a random search on www.foodnetwork.com, and I thought I would give it a try. I was very pleased with the results, and I'm even more pleased to report that my husband went back for seconds! Unfortunately, since the commissary over here is lacking in different types of mushrooms, I had to settle for just portobello and cremini. However, the flavor was great, the cream sauce wasn't overpowering-one of the main reasons I really don't make a lot of cream sauces-and it's easy enough to make on a weeknight if you want a low-maintenance recipe after work.

Ingredients:

1 lb rigatoni pasta
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced (I used 4 but hey that's just my preference)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb assorted mushrooms such as cremini, shiitake, portobello and button, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 cup (8 oz) marscapone cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:

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

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes until all the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Add the mascarpone cheese. 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, to taste. Toss well to coat pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives. Serve immediately.
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