Marsala Pasta Bake
Laying in bed last night I realized that I had completely forgotten to post and decided that I would apologize and share my new favorite recipe with you, first thing in the morning. And here it is…first thing in the afternoon? Such is life when the holiday season is in full swing. Hanukkah, Christmas, we do it all over here and things get pretty chaotic–as it turns out, even during a global pandemic. Go figure. I know that you understand. So without further ado, I present to you my last recipe of 2020. We will end on an incredible note with a Covid vaccine roll-out and this Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake that is all the things. Indulge yourself on Christmas Eve or on Thursday and then again on Monday. Santa would approve.
I will say that generally I pride myself on preparing and sharing pretty darn healthy food that is super charged with flavor. I usually forgo the fat and opt for ingredients that are bright, biting and contrasting. This recipe from Smitten Kitchen for Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake is somewhat of the antithesis to all of that. Not that it’s lacking in flavor (it’s most certainly not) or one note (oh no siree Bob, there’s layers) but it is more decadent than my typical weeknight dinner recipe. And all I can say is that it is worth Every. Single. Bite. And I promise that I’d be saying that even if this wasn’t the sh$t show year that is 2020.
If you’ve ever had Chicken Marsala, this dish is basically pasta bathed in that luscious, buttery, winey, mushroom-laden sauce with a healthy dose of grated Parmesan and mozzarella cheese (alright, I upped the ante by using burrata cheese). It doesn’t dry out the way that many baked pasta dishes do and the top gets nicely browned and crisped due to an extra sprinkle of Parmesan across the surface.
If you are not already sold on making Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake then I don’t imagine there’s much more that I can say. I will have failed. So off to the market you go (and the liquor store to pick up a bottle of Marsala if it’s not already in your pantry) and please report back. I can’t wait to hear all of your ooohs and ahhhs. Oh my serious yum. This one is dangerous. Truly. Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! I’ll see you on the flip side.
Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta of your choice such as a ziti or twisty shape
- 2 Tbls olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced you can use pre-sliced to save time
- 1 medium yellow onion helved and sliced thin
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 c dry marsala wine
- 6 Tbls unsalted butter
- 6 Tbls all-purpose flour
- 3 c stock or broth (chicken, vegetable or mushroom)
- 1 c finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 8 oz mozzarella or burrata torn into small cubes
- 1/4 c chopped flat-leaf parsley divided
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes before perfect doneness. Drain and set aside. You may want to toss with a little olive oil to prevent clumping.
- Heat oven: To 400 degrees.
- Make the sauce: Reheat your empty pasta pot over high heat. Add oil and once it is hot, add mushrooms and cook until they’ve begun to brown and glisten, but have not yet released their liquid.
- Reduce heat to medium-high, add onions, salt and pepper and saute together until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated.
- Add Marsala and cook mixture, stirring, until it has almost or fully evaporated (depending on your preference). Add butter, stir until melted. Add flour, and stir until all has been dampened and absorbed.
- Add stock, a very small splash at a time, stirring the whole time with a spoon. Make sure each splash has been fully mixed into the butter/flour/mushroom mixture, scraping from the bottom of the pan and all around, before adding the next splash. Repeat until all stock has been added. Let mixture simmer together for 2 minutes, stirring frequently; the sauce will thicken. Remove pan from heat.
- Assemble and bake dish: If you’re cooking in an ovensafe dish, add cooked pasta and stir until combined. (If you’re not cooking in an ovensafe dish, transfer this mixture to a 9"x13" baking dish.) Stir in half the parmesan, all of the mozzarella and two tablespoons of the parsley until evenly mixed. Sprinkle the top with remaining parmesan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until edges of pasta are golden brown and irresistible. Sprinkle with reserved parsley and serve hot. Reheat as needed.