Farfalle or bow-shaped pasta, accompanied with a delicious sauce and freshly grated cheese is a very popular dish with children and adults alike.

                                          

                           BOW-SHAPED PASTA WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

         

500 g (1 lb) farfalle, boiled in chicken or vegetable stock, strained and kept hot

250-375 ml (1-1½ cup) or more stock, in which the farfalle were boiled

Mushroom Sauce:

500 g (1 lb) white mushrooms, sliced, cubed or cut into quarters

20 g (2/3 oz) dried wild mushroom, like porcini, soaked in water for 15 minutes,

                                                          strained and reserved (reserve water also)

15 g (½ oz) butter

1 large onion or 3 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 heaped tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tbsp good quality brandy

125 ml (1/2 cup)  good white wine

Reserved water from the porcini, strained to avoid any sand

1 tsp tomato paste (optional)

250 ml (1 cup) cream or more if you prefer

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated cheese to pass around

          Melt the butter over medium heat, in a medium sized saucepan, add the onion or shallots, a little salt and stew gently for 3-4 minutes.   Then add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes more.  

        Stir in the white mushrooms and the porcini and cook until the mushrooms are almost ready and most of the cooking liquid has evaporated. Season with a little salt and pepper.

        Sprinkle the flour over and stir for 1-2 minutes.  Add the brandy and after 1 minute the wine, and simmer, stirring for 5 minutes, until the alcohol evaporates. Then add the porcini water and the stock reserved from the farfalle and cook very gently until the sauce is smooth and thick. (Add some more stock if a thinner sauce is preferred). If the colour of the sauce is grey, just stir in the tomato paste dissolved in a little hot sauce, to improve it.  Finally add the cream and nutmeg and stir gently and taste, adding salt and pepper if necessary.

      Arrange the hot farfalle on a heated dish, cover with half the mushroom sauce and sprinkle with cheese.   Serve with the remaining sauce, in a sauce-boat, and grated cheese.