Growing up, my Italian grandmother would make this dish for my brothers and I. My mom learned to make it too and to this day, it’s still one of my favorites.  It’s so easy to make, incredibly tasty and very satisfying. Great comfort food! 

The Recipe to Serve 4-6 is as follows:

• 1/2 Pound Sliced Fresh Mushrooms
• 3 Tbs. Butter
• 2 Tbs. Flour
• 3 Tbs. Dry Sherry or Marsala Wine
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• A grind or two of Black Pepper
• A dash of Nutmeg
• 2 Cups (or more) Shredded Cooked Chicken or Turkey
• 1/2 Cup Of Parmesan Cheese
• 8 Oz. Spaghetti
• 1 Glass of your Favorite Wine to enjoy while cooking.

Let’s get started!

I always get all of my ingredients together first…that’s just me. So for this recipe, you will need to do the following:

Start by turning on your oven to 350 degrees. Then boil enough water to cook a half pound or so of spaghetti. Trust me, this is the best noodle for this dish. Once the water is boiling, start cooking that pasta! Timing is somewhat critical.  You’ll want your pasta and mushroom cream sauce ready at the same time.

Get a large sauté pan going on medium heat and start melting the butter and sautéing your mushrooms. I let them go for a few minutes and then I drizzle in some sherry and throw in a pinch of salt and pepper just to flavor em’ up a bit.

Once the mushrooms have cooked down a bit (about five minutes), add your flour and mix well, then add the cream, sherry and chicken stock.  You’ll want to cook it down to a creamy consistency…usually about five minutes or so over low-medium heat, stirring frequently.  Once you have reached your desired consistency, add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and chicken and mix it all up. You can turn off the heat at this point.

By now, your pasta should be ready to be drained…do not rinse it!  You want it kind of sticky so it will bind better with the sauce. Get a medium casserole dish, pour in the pasta and get it evened out in the dish.  Pour or spoon over the cream sauce until well-covered and give it a little toss to mix it through.

Finally, sprinkle parmesan cheese over the whole top. The cheese is going to form a yummy golden crust over the top when it’s baked. You can salt and pepper now or at the table, your preference.

Tip: Do not use cheese out of a can! Invest in a wedge of high-grade parmesan cheese and grate it yourself for maximum flavor or at the very least, buy freshly graded cheese. Another Tip: For a little extra zingarooni, once you have your chicken ready to go, put it in a sandwich-size ziplock bag and pour in a little sherry or marsala wine or some liquid smoke and marinate it for a few minutes until ready to use. Liquid smoke is highly concentrated so use about a tablespoon and add a little water. Liquid smoke gives this dish a nice woodsy overtone and will compliment the sherry or marsala nicely.

Bake that baby uncovered for about 20-30 minutes or until that cheese is golden brown and you’re off to Italy! 

Some great pairings for this dish are: Ceasar Salad and Garlic Toast. For a great appetizer, try my Grilled Goat Cheese Crostini’s with Tomato and Basil Topping…they’re killer! Recipe coming soon.