Linguine with Marinated Mushrooms

We have had quite a bit of meat lately – the boy is certainly not complaining, but I do want to put the brakes on. This is really quick to make, which is a good thing as we’re both home on time as we want to watch Jack Laugher represent Team GB in the Olympic Men’s Diving. Go Jack!

225g chestnut mushrooms

80ml extra virgin olive oil

1tbsp flaky sea salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

Zest & juice of a lemon

4 sprigs fresh thyme

500g linguine

Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

4tbsp grated parmesan

White pepper

A knob of butter

Slice the mushrooms. The boy is sent to fetch the thyme from the garden as it’s raining and I don’t want to get wet. He brings back some sage too, though we don’t need it in this recipe. Pull the leaves off the thyme. Ignore the sage.

Melt the butter in a small pan and sauté the mushroom for a minute or two. You’re not looking to cook them through – just take the rawness off them.

Marinade the mushrooms in a bowl with the oil, salt, garlic, lemon zest and thyme leaves, for as long as it takes to cook the pasta.

I like De Cecco brand pasta and think that linguine is my favourite kind. It’s like spaghetti’s sophisticated, handsome cousin. Cook according to the instructions on the packet and make sure you use a big pan with plenty of salted water. Pasta likes to have enough space to be itself.

When it’s done drain it, but keep back a few tablespoons of the starchy cooking water. Tip into a serving bowl and add the mushrooms, scraping all of the marinade in. Add the reserved cooking water. Toss it all well. This heat should finish cooking the mushrooms. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, parsley and pepper and give it one more toss.

We are having this with a salad of cucumber, stoned black olives and dill, seasoned with salt and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. I love it when the meal is good enough that he doesn’t miss the meat. It’s so quick to make which give us time to cheer Jack Laugher on. #teamGB