Sharing Plate – Your Cooking Coach |

I love pesto! It is extremely versatile. It’s great with chicken, fish and vegetables. In the summer I do make my own but other times I buy it. It is a must have ingredient in my fridge. One of my favorite combinations is pesto and mushrooms. I modified this one a little by adding pancetta. For those who would like to lay off the meat, taking the pancetta out does not affect the dish too much. I would still keep the shallots and garlic to give the dish extra body and texture. This dish takes all of fifteen minutes to make. Add a nice salad and some garlic bread and of course wine- wine is a must! We had a Merlot and then opened a Pinot Noir. Now I know what you are thinking- I did not finish the 2 bottles by myself. The merlot was opened by my husband and I the day before, so there was not much left- then we opened the Pinot!  Both varieties went quite well with the pasta-my neighbor was visiting so good company had a lot to do with enjoying the meal!

• 20 ounces mushrooms, a mix of white and cremini, sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces pancetta, chopped
• 1 large shallot, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• ½ pound penne pasta
• ½ cup pesto, store bought
• Salt to taste

In a medium pan, bring salty water to a roaring boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the box directions.
In the meantime, in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the pancetta. Saute till light brown on medium heat, for about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute for another 3-4 minutes. Next, add the mushrooms and cook on high heat stirring constantly. They will wilt down to almost half their size. Add the cooked pasta and the pesto. Turn the heat off, stir and check for salt.