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On Saturday we had 10 people for lunch and we wanted to cook something easy but at the same time very tasteful and original. So, after a few days of reflections, Damian and I decided to use our dried mushrooms we got from Italy.

I remembered that mushrooms and cheese are a good match and with pasta they can make a perfect main course for the occasion.

And I think the results were great! But to get these good results you have to use exactly the ingredients I recommend.

Ingredients for 5:

• 1 cup of gorgonzola/mascarpone cheese (it is a kind of gorgonzola mixed with mascarpone that have a taste less strong than gorgonzola alone)
• 2 ounces of dried mushrooms (they are more tasteful than many fresh mushrooms you buy at the grocery store)
• olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• salt
• 15-20 ounces of penne rigate pasta (use a good brand of pasta! Like De Cecco or Agnesi or Barilla)
• grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cover the mushrooms with warm water and let it rest for 1 hour.
2. Heat the water for cooking the pasta. Remember to put some salt into the water.
3. Drain the water from the mushrooms and slightly fry them with some olive oil.
4. Add some salt to the mushrooms.
5. Melt the gorgonzola/mascarpone in a double boiler pot, adding the milk and a few of the boiling water of the pasta.
6. Cook the penne rigate and after draining them, add the mushrooms and the melted cheese. Mix together and serve with some grated Parmesan cheese.