Ziti with Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Pair with Pinot Noir
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pound portabella mushrooms, stems removed, caps halved
and then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3/4 pound ziti pasta
3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1. In a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and 1/2¼teaspoon of the salt and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently until the onions are well browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan.
2. In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms and 1/4¼teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until tender and brown, about 8 minutes. Add the reserved onions, the parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the pepper.
3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the ziti pasta until just done, about 13 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. Toss the ziti and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water with the mushroom and onion mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the goat cheese and the Parmesan. If pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.