Fettuccine Boscaiola

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided

• ½ pound pancetta, chopped (about 8 slices)

• 1 ½ cups baby Bella sliced mushrooms (about 4–5 ounces)

• 1 cup onions, diced

• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons dry sherry

• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 pound fettuccine

• Additional chopped, Italian flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1.     Place a large pot of water on to boil to cook the fettuccine in a later step.

2.     In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, combine 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter until melted and frothy.

3.      Place the pancetta in the same pan and cook until it is crisp. Remove to paper towels and reserve.

4.     Drain off all bacon fat but reserve two tablespoons, half of which gets used in next step.

5.     Put one tablespoon of bacon fat and one tablespoon of butter in the same pan and sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes or until they just start to give up their liquid. Remove from pan and set aside along with all of the pan drippings.

6.     Add the second tablespoon of bacon fat and butter into the pan and sauté onions and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

7.     Add mushrooms and their liquid back into the pan with the onions, add the sherry and cook for one minute scraping any bits from the bottom.

8.     Add in cream, sour cream, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley and Parmesan cheese. As mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 more minutes. The mixture will begin to thicken. Reduce heat to low.

9.     Salt the boiling water and cook fettuccine according to package directions. When draining reserve one cup of pasta water.

10.     Add cooked fettuccine and cook for 1-2 minutes to blend flavors. If the dish is too thick, add a little pasta water until desired consistency is achieved.

11.     Serve with fresh parsley sprinkled over individual servings.