Recently I have been making dishes that are vegan and this is one of those recipes I always wanted to make – pasta combined with almond milk.  I will be posting another recipe with vegan Alfredo sauce.  Since I didn’t have enough time, I made this dish very quick and simple.  The main ingredients that gives flavor to this are the porcini mushroom and the basil flavored extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz pasta such as rotini, penne
• 1lb mixed mushrooms (shitake, portabella, button)
• 1 oz dried porcini mushroom
• 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
• 1 head garlic (about 10) sliced
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup black olives
• 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 scallion sliced into one inch pieces
• 1 tbsp Basil flavored olive oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Cook pasta and drain and set aside
• Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly spray oil to a cookie sheet and set aside
• Clean and slice mushrooms into thin slices
• Spread sliced mushrooms in one layer on the cookie sheet and spray with cooking oil
• Roast mushroom for about half an hour. Set aside
• While mushroom is roasting add dried porcini mushroom to warm water and let soak for about 1—15 minutes.
• Wash thoroughly and squeeze out the water
• Add olive oil to a large skillet and once hot, add onion and sauté until translucent.
• Add garlic and sauté until onion and garlic are lightly browned
• Now add porcini mushroom and roasted mushroom and mix in with the onion
• Increase heat to medium high and sauté until all water is absorbed from mushroom (if there is any)
• Add crushed red pepper, dried basil and the cooked pasta and mix well
• Reduce heat to low and add 1 tablespoon almond milk at a time until all ¼ cup is used
• Cook on low flame until almond milk is absorbed.
• Sprinkle basil flavored olive oil and sliced scallion.
• Season with salt

Yields: 2 main dishes

Source: Chelvi’s original