Mushrooms revel in a creamy sauce; it really enriches their earthy flavour. Here, using toasted pistachios and tahini, is a deliciously satisfying vegan meal from Dish Podcast.
75g pistachios
250g pack Flat Mushrooms, thinly sliced
250g pack Chestnut Mushrooms, thinly sliced
300g dried vegan tagliatelle
For the sauce
¼ x 20g pack thyme, leaves only, plus extra to serve
2 clove/s garlic
4 tbsp tahini
1 In a large dry frying pan, toast the pistachios for about minutes until fragrant, then tip into a bowl. Return the pan to a high heat and fry the mushrooms in batches, stirring occasionally until all the moisture is released and they are browned in parts (about 10 minutes). Tip onto a plate and set aside. Keep the pan to one side.
2 Meanwhile, roughly chop ¼ of the toasted pistachios and set aside. Put the remaining nuts in a blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients and 100ml warm water; whizz until very smooth. Stir in a little more water, if needed. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to pack instructions, reserving some of the water before draining.
3 Heat the pan used for the mushrooms over a medium-high heat and return the mushrooms to it, followed by the sauce. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until coated. Add the cooked tagliatelle with some of the reserved pasta water and mix well until the pasta is evenly coated. Stir in a little more pasta water, if needed. Season and serve scattered with the reserved pistachios and a few extra thyme leaves.
Cook’s tip
Angela Hartnett garnishes this dish with parsley when preparing it on the Dish podcast. She then serves it with a side of spinach and garlic, which she wilts in a hot pan with olive oil, the juice of one lemon and two grated garlic cloves.