Black Garlic and Mushroom Pasta

Looking for a fancy new pasta flavour to try? Then, you should definitely try our black garlic and mushroom pasta, which has quite a different flavour profile from the usual types of pasta. The black garlic – which is made by made by aging raw garlic bulbs until they become black, chewy, and slightly sweet – gives it a toasty, earthy taste.  

For this recipe, we have used FR Black Garlic, provided to us by one of our partners, FRENFRO. These ready-to-eat, single head garlic bulbs are a naturally cured super food which are fermented raw for 90 days, until they turn a deep brownish-black colour.

Due to its fermented state, FR Black Garlic has many health benefits like helping with constipation, controlling blood sugar levels, and lowering cholesterol. This is a great ingredient to have on hand to add some extra flavour and nutrients to different dishes.

If you can’t find FR Black Garlic at a shop near you, contact FRENFRO over WhatsApp at 7570012.

Serving size: 2-3

Ingredients:

For the pasta

• 250g uncooked fettucine pasta
• 5 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely diced onions
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 FR Black Garlic bulb (mashed)
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/3 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups sliced raw white mushrooms
• 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
• 2/3 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. To cook the pasta, add 5 cups water to a large pot, along with 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Once the water starts to boil (rapidly bubbling), add in 250g uncooked fettucine pasta and cook for 7 minutes or until it becomes al dente (until the pasta becomes soft but has a slight firmness when you bite into it). This means just 1 minute before the pasta is fully cooked.
2. Drain the pasta, saving 1/3 cup pasta water for the sauce, and add to a large bowl. Then, mix in 1 tbsp olive oil. This will ensure that the pasta does not stick together and maintains its moisture.
3. Next, heat up a pan on medium heat and add in 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 ½ tbsp olive oil. Melt the butter while mixing with the oil, and once melted, add 1/3 cup finely diced onion to it.
4. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes on medium heat, until soft. Then, add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 mashed FR Black Garlic bulb, 2 tsp chilli flakes, and 1/3 tsp dried thyme.
5. Continue sautéing for 2 more minutes or until the onion is fully softened and becomes translucent. The mixture will be a dark golden colour by now.
6. Then, add 2 cups sliced raw white mushrooms and mix with the butter-garlic mixture. After that, add in 2/3 tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper and mix again.
7. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the mushrooms on medium heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and brown in colour. The salt will remove moisture from the mushrooms, so they will reduce in size quite a bit and the extra liquid will make the mixture saucier.
8. Next, remove the lid and pour in 1/3 cup pasta water (that was kept aside earlier), along with 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice. Cook the sauce on medium heat for another 2 minutes to let the flavours infuse well. At this point, the sauce will be a dark brown in colour.
9. Add in the cooked fettucine and stir for 1 more minute, until the sauce combines well with the pasta.
10. Lastly, add 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and mix well. The black garlic and mushroom pasta is now ready to serve!