Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 200 g dry fettuccine
- 20 g fine sea salt
- 2000 ml water
Sauce Base
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 150 g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 garlic, minced
Rosemary Cream Finish
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 fresh rosemary, whole sprig, bruised
- 30 g vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 402 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 44 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 2059 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 47 mg
- Potassium
- 372 mg
- Calcium
- 143 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 50 mg
- Phosphorus
- 221 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 166 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.20 mg
- Niacin
- 2.4 mg
- Folate
- 17 mcg
- Water
- 561 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring water and sea salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add fettuccine and cook until al dente, usually 9-10 minutes depending on the package. Reserve 50ml of the starchy pasta water before draining.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and let them sear undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a golden crust, then toss.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and minced garlic to the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften, blister, and release their natural juices into the pan.
Pour the heavy cream into the pan and submerge the bruised rosemary sprig. Simmer the mixture gently until the liquid reduces slightly and becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove and discard the rosemary sprig. Add the drained fettuccine and grated vegetarian cheese to the sauté pan. Toss vigorously to coat the pasta evenly, adding a small splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce appears too thick. Season with black pepper and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Bruising the rosemary sprig by gently crushing it between your fingers before adding it to the cream helps rapidly release its essential oils without leaving tough needles throughout the dish.
- Always reserve more starchy pasta water than you think you need. It acts as an invaluable tool for binding dairy-based sauces to the noodles and correcting overly thick consistencies.
- Traditional Parmesan cheese contains animal rennet and is not strictly vegetarian. To maintain the dietary flag, always verify that your hard cheese utilizes microbial or plant-based rennet.
- Using a mix of butter and olive oil for the initial sear prevents the milk solids in the butter from burning before the mushrooms achieve proper caramelization.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of milk or water to revive the emulsion.
Troubleshooting
Cream sauce breaks or looks curdled
Cause: The heat was too high after adding the cream, or acidic tomatoes reacted intensely with boiling dairy
Fix: Remove from heat immediately and vigorously whisk in a splash of the reserved starchy pasta water to re-emulsify
Prevention: Ensure the heat is lowered to medium or medium-low before adding the cream, and maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil
Mushrooms are rubbery instead of browned
Cause: Moving the mushrooms too quickly or crowding the pan, which causes them to steam
Fix: Cannot be fixed once steamed, but sauce will still be flavorful
Prevention: Allow mushrooms to cook undisturbed initially to evaporate their surface moisture and sear
Cultural Context
Fettuccine is a classic Roman ribbon pasta conventionally paired with rich, butter or dairy-based sauces. This recipe introduces an umami-forward fusion element by substituting traditional porcini with Japanese shiitake mushrooms. The vibrant addition of fresh summer tomatoes and aromatic rosemary lightens the cream base, creating an elegant, balanced, and modern appetizer.
