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1
Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons salt.
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2
While waiting for the water to boil, heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper flakes and saute quickly to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and saute until the mushrooms darken slightly in color and are softened but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and asparagus and cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, immediately reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, and cook for several minutes.
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3
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a saute pan over low heat, shaking the pan, just until they are warm and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
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4
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil (10 minutes if you are using pappardelle).
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5
Add the basil, butter, pine nuts, and cheese to the pan with the mushrooms and toss well.
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6
Reserve a cup or so of the pasta's cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms, asparagus, and sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more pepper flakes if necessary.
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7
Present the pasta in a bowl and serve family style from the center of the table, or divide among individual plates.
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8
Mushrooms: Instead of using the cremini, use 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms.
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9
Dried Mushrooms: Dried mushrooms like porcini, morel, and chanterelle offer a quick way to add flavor to cooking and are especially useful in the off season or winter months. Always rinse dried mushrooms under cold running water to remove any lingering dirt and sand, then reconstitute them in hot water for 20 minutes, drain, and strain the liquid. Save the liquid for soups and sauces. Keeping a small packet of dried mushrooms, which costs just a few dollars, in your pantry will five earthy flavor on demand.
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10
Use a spice grinder to grind dried porcini to a powder. This seasoning powder will very economically make a full pot of risotto taste like a much more costly version, something many restaurants do to make flavors pop. Add 1 tablespoon to the finished mushrooms for a powerful and full flavor at an economical price.
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11
Porcini Mushrooms: Fresh porcini are among the most delicious of mushrooms. When they are available each fall, by all means use them, although they are expensive and need to be cooked as quickly as possible because they are highly perishable.
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12
Add 1/2 cup of blanched and shocked fresh or frozen peas, spincach, and/or broccoli buds.
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13
Toss some shredded, leftover roasted turkey or duck meat into the pan along with the cooked pasta.
