Farro Spaghetti with Oyster Mushrooms and Dill

I wish I could say I'd planned this recipe. It lends itself so well to appearing alongside a rough, young Chianti served in jars rather than stemware, an unfinished wooden table with placemats rather than a tablecloth, and slices of a crumbly, aged cheese, consumed outdoors under the warm glow of a descending sun with mandolins and accordions playing somewhere in the distant grape fields...

This is the point where, if my life was a movie, viewers would hear the sound of a record being scratched, followed by silence, and then a slow fade into a shot of the protagonist (a/k/a me) being rudely awakened from a deep slumber. The next sequence would be shots of the protagonist coming home after a long, crappy day in the office, opening her refrigerator, and saying, "What the f*** am I gonna make for dinner tonight?" That, my dear friends, is how this recipe was born. 

The oyster mushrooms and the dill were left over from another recipe, and I had about half a box of farro spaghetti in my pantry. I bought this pasta for my mom and I to share because like us, it comes from Italy's Abruzzo region. Those three things, blended with rich, European-style butter, turned my recipe rejects into a dish that didn't look or taste at all accidental. I'm very pleased with this recipe, and if you're looking for something quick and easy, this would be a great recipe to try. 

A brief word about the ingredients - farro is a type of wheat that is commonly used in Italy and has recently gained popularity in the U.S., thanks to the whole grain trend. Just like regular wheat, farro can be ground into a flour and made into a wonderful pasta with a slightly nutty flavor. Farro pasta can be found at Italian groceries and specialty shops. If you can't find European butter, which has a higher butterfat content than American butter and is therefore much richer in flavor, you can substitute regular American butter. As a butter lover (OK, addict), I prefer the Euro stuff.

I hope you try this recipe!



Farro Spaghetti with Oyster Mushrooms and Dill

1 lb. farro spaghetti
2 T. European-style butter
1 lb. oyster mushrooms
several sprigs fresh dill, chopped
salt
coarsely ground black pepper
peppery olive oil
4 whole dill sprigs, to garnish

Cook the pasta. In the meantime, melt the butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes or until they've turned golden brown, adding the chopped dill during the last minute of cooking. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan―the mushrooms should not be crowded.

Drain the pasta, and immediately add the pasta to the pan containing the mushrooms. Divide the pasta equally among four serving plates, topping each with a portion of the sauteed mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt and a few generous grinds of coarsely ground black pepper, finish with a few drops of peppery olive oil, and garnish each with a whole sprig of fresh dill.