Fennel Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients

4 ounces dried short pasta (ziti, fusilli, rigatoni) 
1 tablespoons packed chopped sun dried tomatoes 
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove minced 
¼ pound thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps 
½ pound sliced fennel 
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste 
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium pot over high heat, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve ¼ cup of pasta water in a bowl. Place the chopped sun dried tomatoes into the reserved pasta water. 

2. In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add sliced fennel and cook for another minute, string frequently. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. 

3. Remove cover, stir in pasta, parsley leaves and the reserved pasta water with tomato. Add salt and pepper to taste, cover the pot and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the cover and stir in Parmesan cheese if desired. 

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Quick Tips

• Fennel can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw fennel has a strong flavor similar to anise. Cooking fennel will mellow out that flavor.

• Fennel is a good source of Vitamin A, C, manganese and potassium. 

• The leafy green fronds in fennel are edible, feel free to use it in the recipe to flavor the pasta.