Baked Mushroom Pasta with Burrata

Mushroom pasta is my go to when I want something cozy without a lot of fuss. This one roasts the mushrooms with a whole head of garlic until everything goes golden and a little sweet, and honestly that step does most of the work for you.

Once the pasta gets tossed in all that garlicky butter and you tear the burrata over the top, it turns into the kind of dinner I could eat every single week. It feels a little fancy but it comes together on a regular weeknight.

Baked Mushroom Pasta with Burrata

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb mixed mushrooms, I used Crimini and maitake, but use what you have, sliced

• 1 package of Rigatoni, Penne or Cavatappi

• S&P

• 1 tbsp (or more) Red pepper flakes

• 1 whole head of garlic, roasted

• Olive oil

• 1/4 cup butter

• Fresh thyme leaves, about 3 tbsp chopped and 2 sprigs of thyme

• 1 sprig rosemary, chopped

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1/2 cup to 1 cup mushroom broth (sub veggie broth)

• Lemon juice from one lemon

• Zest from one lemon

• Burrata cheese

• 8 oz mascarpone (sub whole milk, heavy cream or half& half)

• 1 cup fontina cheese

• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400.

2. To roast the garlic, cut the top of the garlic head and rub it with olive oil then wrap it in aluminum foil. In a baking dish, combine the mushrooms, 1/4 cup butter, thyme sprigs and rosemary. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with S + P. Add the wrapped garlic to the pan as well then transfer to the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until the mushrooms are golden and caramelized and the garlic is roasted.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for at least a few minutes less than the package directs. (You want the pasta very al dente; it will finish softening in the sauce.) Before you drain, take out about 1 cup of the pasta water.

4. Remove the garlic from the oven and take out the roasted cloves. Chop the garlic along with some thyme and heat the olive oil in a large oven safe heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon zest + juice and cook undisturbed for 3-5 minutes or until the garlic and pepper become fragrant. Slowly add the wine and the mushroom stock, stir and after a couple of minutes, stir in the mascarpone, the fontina and parmesan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Make sure you stir to bring the sauce together!

5. Stir the pasta into the sauce along with the pasta water and the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Add some more cheese on top and bake for 15-20 min until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned on top. Top with basil and burrata.

6. Enjoy!