Mushrooms with Pasta & Hazelnut Oil

Hazelnut oil is the secret weapon in this mushroom pasta. It’s not olive oil, not truffle oil, but a toasty, fragrant nut oil that coats each strand of linguine with a warmth you can smell before you taste it.

A full pound of sliced mushrooms gets sauteed in butter, then covered with a splash of water to steam until tender. Once you evaporate that liquid back off, you’re left with concentrated, deeply browned mushrooms. Garlic goes in at the very end so it stays aromatic without burning.

Toss everything together in the pot while the pasta is still hot. The hazelnut oil clings better to warm noodles, and the chopped parsley brightens up all that earthy richness. Toasted hazelnuts on top bring the crunch.

Chef Tips

• Slice mushrooms a uniform ¼ inch thick so they cook at the same rate. Uneven pieces mean some are rubbery while others are golden.
• Evaporate the liquid completely before adding garlic. Wet mushrooms steam instead of saute, and soggy garlic tastes sharp.
• Toss the pasta with the oil and mushrooms in the hot pot, not a cold bowl. The heat helps the oil emulsify with the starchy pasta.
• Use heated bowls to serve. This dish cools fast because there’s no heavy sauce holding the heat.

Variations

• Swap linguine for pappardelle to catch more of the hazelnut oil in those wide ribbons.
• Add a handful of wilted arugula or baby spinach when tossing for a peppery green contrast.
• Finish with shaved Parmesan or pecorino if you want a salty, cheesy bite.