Shiitake + Tinned Oyster Pasta

This simple pasta dish marries the smokiness of our tinned oysters with the earthy depth of shiitake mushrooms. Chicken stock helps to marry the savory flavors with an added dose of richness, but this dish can easily be made pescatarian with a swap for a flavorful vegetable stock.

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 cups dried pasta (this recipe features a short, ridged shape called Mafalda)

Sea salt to season

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 large shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons finely minced shallot, from approximately 1 small shallot

1 tin Ekone Original Smoked Oysters, cut into bite size pieces

¼ teaspoon aleppo pepper

⅓ cup dense chicken stock

2 tablespoons creme fraiche

Zest of one lemon, plus a squeeze of juice to serve

Fresh ground black pepper to season

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When boiling, season the water generously with salt. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions, until just under al dente.

In a frying pan set over medium heat, add the olive oil, mushrooms, and a small pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms have softened and just begun to caramelize. Add the shallots to the pan and cook for another minute or two. Add the oysters, aleppo pepper and chicken stock and bring to a vigorous simmer.

Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan, alongside ¼ cup of pasta water. Using a wooden spoon, assertively stir the pasta with one hand as you nudge the pan back and forth with your other hand - essentially creating a whirlpool effect in the pan. This helps the pasta to release its starch into the sauce, giving the sauce a lusciousness that will coat each noodle. Mount the pasta with the creme fraiche and lemon zest and toss to combine.

Serve topped with a grind of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.