Bucatini Pasta Alfredo

I bet you think that all I eat is pasta...not true, but my oven broke yesterday and so the dinner I had planned did not happen.  Luckily I was able to raid my pantry and throw something together quickly.  My oven is circa 1980 and I'm debating about getting a new one or perhaps calling the repairman.  In the 25 years that I've lived in the house, I've only had to replace the bottom coil--not a bad deal.  I'm not certain if today's ovens last this long...but I'm guessing not.  Anyway, if I wait another 10 years my oven could be vintage and then I'll regret getting rid of it!  Will anything in the 1980's become vintage or were the 80's a bad decade for everything? 

I use this alfredo sauce as a base for a lot of dishes:  Strognoff, Lasagna, Pizza, Mac and Cheese, Dips and it is so easy to make.  I didn't use all of my sauce for the pasta and so on Friday I plan to make a roasted fingerling, wild mushroom, broccoli rabe, and caramelized onion, blanco pizza.  I'll post about it on Saturday once I get my oven fixed!

Bucatini pasta is my favorite pasta.  I love the texture and that it has a small hole in the center and holds a little bit of sauce.  I used standard 12" noodles, but you can buy noodles 18-24" in length!  Fun to eat, but oh so messy.

Ingredients:

1 lb Bucatini or linguini pasta
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fresh fresh thyme, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4-1 lb oyster mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
Alfredo sauce (see recipe below)
Arugula, spinach or broccoli rabe
Walnut "Parmesan" Cheese (optional)
Fresh lemon juice

Alfredo Sauce:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large head garlic, roasted, cooled, flesh removed
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
1/2 cup raw cashews, 1 cup water blended with high-speed blender until smooth
Pinch nutmeg
1 container Daiya Havarti Style Wedge, shredded (about 1-1/2 cups)
Salt and pepper to taste 

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and roast garlic in foil for about an hour until soft
• While garlic is roasting soak cashews and cook onions with thyme until soft
• Add everything to a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy
• Season with salt and pepper 
• Cook pasta, and drain reserving some pasta liquid and set aside
• In a large saute pan cook mushrooms until golden brown, adding garlic and thyme during cooking
• Deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine and reduce
• Add pasta, alfredo sauce (you will not need all the sauce because it is very rich) and some pasta water
• Season with salt, pepper and add arugula just to wilt
• Finish with fresh lemon juice and walnut Parmesan cheese.