I’ve talked about my obsession with pasta before…I don’t think I’ve ever met a pasta I didn’t like.  When I make it at home though, we usually stick to the Mac & Cheese or Spaghetti variety so I thought it was time to branch out.  Giada made this Mushroom Marsala with Artichokes on one of her cooking shows last week and for some reason, it called out to me.  Strange, because I usually don’t care for mushrooms at all.

Nonetheless, I bought all of the ingredients and made it for the family tonight.  The girls didn’t care for it much but the hubs and I really liked it.  It’s a vegetarian dish, but it has a distinctly “beefy” flavor.  The wine cooks out and leaves a rich, creamy flavor behind.

Next time I make it, I will probably eliminate a little bit of the oil and maybe add some olives or something just for a change.  I didn’t have fresh parsley (even though I SWEAR I bought it at the store!!) but next time I’d say it’s a must – the pasta is rich and the greens would lighten it up a little.

This dish whips up in no time – by the time the pasta is cooked, it’s just about done.  It’s easy and delicious and a nice change from our usual spaghetti and meat sauce.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and chopped into small bits (creminis work well)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1 tablespoon for pasta water

1 cup dry Marsala wine

1 pound pasta, Giada recommends thimble-shaped pasta, ditalini, but I used fettuccine

½ pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

¾ cup grated Parmesan

½ cup cream

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for one minute. Add the mushrooms and one teaspoon of the salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, Marsala and onions Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper, then adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.