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Mary Anne here. Hellooo autumn! Well, maybe I’m jumping the gun since the temp today was a humid 82, but the promise of the the season does put a glow in my heart. It’s the best of all weather, as the fading summer sun provides golden warmth during the day only to be replaced by cool, crackly breezes at night. Perfect sleeping weather! And as much as I adore summer (maybe because I’m a July bambino!), the fall is secretly my most favorite time of the year.
Autumn is when wild mushrooms hit their seasonal prime and begin turning up in the marketplace. And while they’re often far too pricey to indulge in for a Feast on the Cheap, this week my local green grocer had a sale on Baby Bellas and fresh Shitakes. These earthy morels were just begging to be planted atop a steaming bowl of pasta. As luck would have it, I had a large wedge of Fontina cheese in the recesses of my deli drawer, which was the perfect foil for woodsy mushrooms and al dente penne. I added sage – a favorite of mine in the herb department – while bright yellow and red peppers provided a splendid splash of autumnal color. I think some chunks of roasted acorn squash would go well, but sadly that didn’t occur to me until this very moment. That’ll have to wait ’til next time.
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Whole Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms, Sweet Peppers, and Fontina Cheese
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil – stock
1 large Vidalia onion (about 1 lb.), sliced ¼ inch thick crosswise and then the rings cut into thirds – $0.94
1 clove garlic, minced – stock
1 lb. mushrooms ( I used Baby Bellas and stemmed, fresh Shitake) – $5.00
2 large sweet Bell peppers, either red, yellow, or orange or a combination, seeded and sliced into ¼ inch thick strips – $2.33
1 lb. whole wheat penne or rigatoni, cooked according to package directions – $1.69
1 Tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped – $0.99
2 cups (about 7 oz.) Fontina cheese, grated and divided – $5.29
salt and pepper to taste
Grand Total Assuming a Well-Stocked Pantry: $16.24
Total Per Serving: $2.71
Directions:
1. Over medium-high flame, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the sliced onions and stirring frequently, cook until lightly browned, about 12 minutes.
2. Add the garlic to the onions and continue sautéing an additional 3 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms and sweet pepper slices. Sauté until the mushrooms and peppers are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, as the vegetables are cooking, cook the pasta, according to package directions, until al dente.
5. Spoon 1 cup of the pasta water into a measuring cup and set aside. Drain the pasta.
6. Add the reserved pasta water to the mushroom, pepper, and onion mixture. Stir in the fresh sage. Cook over medium-high flame for a minute or two. Toss in the drained pasta. Add 1½ cups of the Fontina, salt, and pepper, tossing well. The cheese will melt.
7. Transfer to a large serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Mangia!
This looks so perfect for fall! So comforting… and I LOVE fontina cheese!
This looks so good. Love the onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, fontina cheese and whole wheat pasta. This is definitely the kind of recipe that I love to make. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I love the combination of flavors in this — especially with the whole wheat pasta. My son calls me when the morels come in at Whole Foods. It’s the only place I’ve seen them here. It’s a treat every year to buy just a few. I think the flavor goes a long way, so the expense is worth it.
Beautiful dish! Oh, how I love mushrooms. The combination of all these flavors is perfect!
looks fabulous for an autumn meal!
What a perfect Fall dinner. We still have a bit of warm weather to go here in the deep South, but this will certainly be on our menu once the cooler days and nights settle in. Maybe November 🙂
Oh yes please. This is my kind of pasta dinner. Healthy, easy and fast
YUM! This is right up my alley. May need to make this tomorrow.
What a nice meatless dish! I like the combo of the whole wheat pasta with the earthiness of the mushrooms.
Oh that looks good! I was thinking of making a mushroom pasta today, but didn’t get around to it. Just tried spelt pasta for the first time, and my kids liked it. What kind of whole wheat pasta do you use?
Hi Jeanette. Honestly, I use whatever’s on sale. This round was Stop ‘ Shop’s. When I can’t find a whole wheat pasta shape I want to use, I buy DreamFields if they have the shape, but they’re more expensive. DreamField’s isn’t w.w., but it is very low glycemic – 5 grams of carbs per serving. It’s really a great choice for diabetics who need their pasta fix, so one can justify the 2.59 for 12 oz. Most whole wheat pastas are the same in terms of fiber, glycemic level and ingredients. I’m with Rhonda in terms of the texture and nutty flavor of whole wheat – really adds body to whatever you’re topping it with! Thanks so much for writing. Cheers!
I so could be a mouse, I love cheese. Add Fontina to anything and it’s bound to taste good. Plus I love whole wheat pasta, it’s firmness and nuttiness are perfect for an autumn soup.
This pasta looks delicious! It’s the perfect fall evening meal…yum!
I love finding new, simple pasta dishes. I love the flavors in this one–perfect for fall! 🙂
The perfect pasta dish to welcome fall, great photo!
I’m with you – so great to see mushrooms getting a little more affordable. I’m the only one in my family who likes them so I get to eat them all! Good thing they’re so healthy!
Made this tonight, and also added some yummy feta and spinach stuffed chicken sausage, soooooooo very good!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! So many ways to change it up a bit – yours sounds wonderful. Cheers!