Baked Mushroom Linguine

4 ounces dried mushrooms (such as porcini or chanterelle), wiped clean
1 quart of boiling water
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 onion, diced
1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and quartered
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and sliced
2 ½ teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for cooking water
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound linguine
½ cup grated Romano cheese

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl, and pour the boiling water over them. Let sit 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Wrap the rosemary and thyme sprigs in cheesecloth, and tie with kitchen twine; and set aside. Lift out the mushrooms with a slotted spoon, and place in a mesh sieve over another bowl. Press the mushrooms to release any remained liquid, and pour the liquid back into the first bowl; set the mushrooms aside. You should have about 4 cups of mushroom stock; set aside.

2. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When butter begins bubbling, add the flour. Cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to brown, which is about 3 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in the mushroom stock into the pan. Continue cooking, the mushroom stock, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Stir in the cream and reserved herb bundle. Reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow all of the flavors to infuse.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until it begins to soften, which about 3 minutes. Add the button mushrooms, and cook until they release their juices. Add the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and chopped thyme, and cook until all the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the dried-mushrooms sauce to the skillet, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a 9-by-13 inch baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, and add to pasta. Cover, and cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the manufacturer’s instructions, until the pasta is very al dente. Transfer the pasta to a colander, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process; drain well. Stir the pasta into the mushroom mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake until browned on top and the mixture is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let the dish cool 5 minutes before serving.

So this recipe was adapted from the fabulous Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes. I must say that the "Martha" can do no wrong. Everything about her just exudes refinement and grace. So when I was making this dish I had to throw on my apron and spoke in a high brow fake Connecticut accent and only drank tea with my pinky finger out for the rest of the day. I mean it must be done this way or there will be a knock at my door from the Martha Stewart fan club demanding that I be locked way for disrespecting the “Queen.” Anyway, so as I was at the grocery store to purchase said items to make this dish I noticed that the cost of dried mushrooms were insane. A one ounce package of porcini mushrooms cost $5.00, so I was like “f**k that.” I purchased two of them and said that I would half the recipe. So everything turned out great. If you are not a big fan of mushrooms then I suggest that you don’t try this because with the mushroom broth and all the dried and fresh mushrooms in the in the mix it made it really stand out but in a good way for me. Overall, a spectacular dish that my co-workers really liked and wanted more.