Baked Fusilli with Porcini and Provolone
Creamy and rich with great depth of flavor, this cheesy pasta is a go-to winter recipe. Undercook the pasta so it doesn't get mushy when it bakes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fusilli
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella chopped (about 1 medium ball)
- 6 ounces provolone chopped (about 8 slices)
- ¼ cup finely chopped basil
- ¼ cup finely chopped sage
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fusilli, cook 5 minutes, and drain. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking together.
- Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Place mushrooms in a bowl and pour boiling water over to rehydrate. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and place on cutting board. Reserve ⅓ cup of mushroom liquid, avoiding any grit at the bottom of the bowl. Discard remaining liquid and roughly chop mushrooms.
- Heat oven to 375°F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until fragrant and toasted, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and cream. Stir in salt and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and stir in reserved mushroom liquid. Add mozzarella and provolone and let stand 5 minutes. Briefly stir to combine—some cheese may not melt, and that’s fine.
- Toss pasta with cheese sauce, mushrooms, basil, and sage. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish and dot with remaining butter. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake, uncovered, until golden and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Molly Shuster
Molly is a freelance food stylist, writer and recipe developer. She is one of the co-recipe editors of Gather Journal and has had her work published in various publications including Boston Magazine, Yankee Magazine, The New York Times, Food and Wine, Family Fun, The Boston Globe and Edible Vineyard, among others. Molly currently divides her time between New York and Boston.
