Mushroom Stroganoff with Barilla Elbows

Recipe by Alex Hoefer

3lb Barilla Blue Box Semolina Elbows
1 ½ lb Yellow onion, small dice
3 ½ lb Crimini Mushrooms
1 cup Kosher Salt (Diamond Crystal Preferred)
12ea Garlic Cloves, minced fine
3 cups Skim milk
1 qt Beef Stock (mushroom or vegetable stock as alternative)
¼ cup Fresh Thyme,chopped
1oz Fresh ground Black Pepper
1 ½ cups EVOO
2 cups Fresh Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (plus more for garnish)
2 cups Whole Fat Yogurt
2Tbsp Corn Starch
Instructions

Blanching method:

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Add pasta to boiling salted water and blanch for 45 seconds
  3. Drain pasta and combine with sauce

NOTE:

If cooking for immediate service add 30 seconds additional cook time

Sauce method (64oz sauce 64oz pasta):

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Bring your sauce to a simmer and add 1 cup of water for every 32oz of sauce
  3. Add the slacked pasta and cook for 2 minutes and 30 seconds in the simmering sauce

Impinger oven (set to 500°F):

7″ round aluminum tin

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 4 oz pasta with 8 oz sauce
  3. Add the contents to a 7″ round aluminum tin

4. Cook covered for 9 min (1.5x through the oven)

9″ round aluminum tin

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 6 oz pasta with 12 oz sauce
  3. Add the contents to a 7″ round aluminum tin
  4. Cook covered for 9 min (1.5x through the oven)

Steamer Method:

Full hotel pan (2 inch deep )

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 40 oz of pasta and 80 of sauce in full hotel pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil
  3. Steam for 17 minutes on full steam

Half pan (2 inch deep)

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 20 oz of pasta and 40 of sauce in a half hotel pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil
  3. Steam for 17 minutes on full steam

Microwave Method:

  1. Thaw/Slack the pasta on sheet trays in a single later for at least 1 hour
  2. Add 7 oz of pasta and 7 oz of sauce a long with 1/4 cup of water and mix.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes
  4. Remove from microwave and carefully uncover, stir then cover again.
  5. Microwave on high for an additional 1 minute.
  6. Remove from microwave and transfer to serving dish or delivery packaging
  1. Boil, in salted water, 3lb Barilla Elbow Pasta for 6 minutes (one min. less than recommended). Reserve.
  2. In a large rondeau, add EVOO over medium-high heat to a light smoke. Add Mushrooms and salt, cook until browned.
  3. Once mushrooms have browned, add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent.
  4. Add stock to deglaze. Reduce by half.
  5. Make a slurry with the corn starch and some of the milk. Add remaining milk to pan. Simmer once milk begins to simmer, add corn starch slurry. Stir well until mixture thickens slightly.
  6. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  7. Stir in yogurt and fresh thyme. Add cooked pasta and stir.
  8. Garnish with fresh parm and black pepper. You can also add sautéed mushrooms.

 

Chef Notes:   

This is a recipe that offers flavor and comfort and is vegetable forward. In the restaurant we typically steep dries porchini mushrooms in the stock to offer even more umami and mushroom flavor.It is also delicious made with wild foraged mushrooms like chanterell and oysters or even morels (which we don’t see a lot in the hot south). A squeeze of lemon juice can be added if desired as well.