Pasta with Mushrooms, Garlic and Sage

There can be too much of a good thing.  Almost every week I had been making Mushroom Risotto. Ed and I would have some for dinner with a salad, skip a night and have the same menu again, skip a night and have the rest of the risotto with Brussels sprouts and roasted winter squash, more veggies than risotto.  One night I had only enough mushrooms to make half a recipe of risotto and was ready for a change so I used most of the same ingredients but pasta instead of rice. The key ingredient here in addition to the mushrooms is olive oil and garlic, the garlic cooked until it is crunchy golden brown.

Start water for pasta and then cook pasta, according to manufacturer's instructions so pasta and sauce are ready at approximately the same time.  Alternatively for more flexibility sauce can be made and then just rewarmed a bit before serving.

Heat 2 T olive oil (or a mix of olive and truffle oil)

Saute:

4-6 cloves garlic

When garlic is golden brown, add and mix well

6-8 oz shiitake mushrooms
1 T sun dried tomatoes, broken in small pieces (optional)

Saute until soft then add

Several leaves sage, chopped (optional)

I often  serve on a bed of

Arugula or baby spinach

Top with

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional, and I usually don't)