Mixed Mushroom Penne

I love mushrooms. Shitake, oyster, button, portabello, chestnut; you name it, I love it. They are so versatile and while I know it's the texture that puts so many off, I just think it adds to their deliciousness.

A creamy mushroom sauce on pasta is a flavour match made in heaven, so here I've made a lighter, healthier, vegan version which is still rich and really flavoursome and with a little hint of heat. Perfect for a spring evening with a nice green salad.

Ingredients:

10g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and finely chopped

A drizzle of olive oil

3 small Spanish onions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

200g fresh mushrooms (I used standard white mushrooms, but portobellos, chestnuts or buttons would also work)

Salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

1/2 c sweet sherry

1 tsp cornflour, mixed with hot water to remove any lumps

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

200g penne pasta

1/2 tin of cannelini beans

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 packet of rocket

Fresh parsley or chives

1) Start by rehydrating the porcinis in a bowl of warm water. Cover them and put to the side - they'll take about 15 minutes.

2) Heat some oil in a large pan over a medium-low heat and add the shallots. Cook until they turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for another 2 minutes.

3) Tip in the fresh mushrooms and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are softening. Add the porcinis, seasoning and herbs. Mix well so everything is combined cook for another minute before pouring in the sherry. Again, mix to combine, turn down low and leave to cook while you put the penne, according to the packet instructions.

4) Add the cornflour mix and nutritional yeast to the mushrooms and stir. You may like to add a bit more water at any stage if it's looking too thick. However this recipe is very 'saucy' as such, it just has enough liquid that should be thick enough to coat the pasta.

5) Tip in the cannelini beans and leave it all to cook until the pasta is done. Then, while the penne drains, take the mushrooms off the heat and tip in the rocket and add the lemon juice. Stir well and add the drained pasta to the pan. Mix thoroughly so each piece of pasta is coated in the mushroomy sauce. Serve with fresh parsley or chives.

Serves 2-3.