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garganelli with mushrooms and prosciutto

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Garganelli are small pasta tubes generally made with fresh egg pasta. (But it also possible to get the garganelli shape in dry pasta). Two-inch squares of pasta are rolled over a comb to get a tube with ridges. They make a wonderful pasta shape, ideal for sauces that are soft or have a cream component. Herewith one of those.

(for more thorough instructions on making your own garganelli, see garganelli with peas and prosciutto.)

>>We also used this sauce with a similar pasta: trecce di giulietta (braids of Juliet). Superb!

for the sauce:

three tablespoons olive oil
four tablespoons butter
one small onion, diced
two garlic cloves, peeled and diced
four ounces of prosciutto, cut into thin strips, three-quarters of an inch long
twelve ounces fresh mushrooms
one quart cup heavy cream (or more if needed)
salt and freshly ground pepper
two tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
one quarter cup freshly grated parmesan

for the pasta:

one pound of garganelli (or penne varieties)

Wipe the mushrooms clean. Cut off the stems. Slice them in thin slices.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and two tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and onion and cook for one minute. Add the prosciutto, stir, and cook until soft, about two minutes. Do not brown.

Add the mushrooms to the pan; turn the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring regularly, until the mushrooms let out their juices and the juices start to evaporate. Add a teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the cream, stir well, and reduce the cream by half.

Bring 4-5 quarts of water to a boil. Add two tablespoons of salt. Drop in the pasta and stir. Continue cooking until al dente Drain.

Bring the sauce to heat again. Add the pasta to the sauce. Add the parsley, the parmesan and the tablespoon of butter. Stir well to coat the pasta. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.