Nutty Mushroom Spaghetti

Last week I received a package in the mail from a company out of Seattle, WA called Marxfoods.  Inside the box were 6 packets of dried mushrooms.  I had talked with Justin Marx a few days before and told him I would see what I could cook up using his mushrooms, so after they arrived I went on a search for recipes that would appeal all budgets and all tastes.  My daughter's mother-in-law came up with my 1st recipe suggestion which is from a Rachael Ray show and is called Nutty Broken Spaghetti-Sotto.  Any of you that really know me have already guessed correctly.  Yes, I did make changes in this recipe and oh did it come out so good.  So here goes with what I'm calling Nutty Mushroom Spaghetti

Let me say 1st that I used a 1/2 oz. pkg of MarxFood's Porcini Mushrooms which I soaked for about 30 minutes in water that I had allowed to come to a boil.  After 30 minutes, I drained the mushrooms saving the water for an ingredient in my dish.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup walnuts (original 1/2 cup
2 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small onion, chopped small
Porcini Mushrooms (original called for 1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced)
1 Tbl. minced garlic (original 2 garlic cloves, grated)
1/2 lb. wheat spaghetti, broken into bite-size pieces (original 1 lb spaghetti)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
liquid from mushrooms = 1 cup (original 4 cups chicken stock)
1 tsp. dried sage leaves, crumbled (original 10 leaves, sliced)
(original called for 1 cup of gorgonzola crumbles, I originally added Parmesan as a garnish but have since decided to add no cheese in the dish nor as a garnish - my own taste in this decision)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place walnuts on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until toasted.  In a medium to large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with oil.  Add onions and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and garlic and brown for about 4 minutes.  Add broken spaghetti and cook, toasting the spaghetti, about 5 minutes.  Add wine.  Let it absorb into spaghetti.  Add about 1/2 of your mushroom water, cover and let that absorb.  Add remaining mushroom water, cover and let simmer until water is absorbed and spaghetti is tender.  Sage and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in walnuts.   (in the original you would have used 1 Tbl. of butter with the oil and added the other Tbl. of butter when adding the sage as well as half of the gorgonzola.  You would garnish each serving with more gorgonzola crumbs and the toasted walnuts.) I served my Nutty Mushroom Spaghetti with roast but I'm sure it would go well with just about anything or even as a main dish.

So, now you have it both ways.  I can say that no matter which way you make this I feel sure you will enjoy every bite.  I am.  And the dried mushrooms?  I'm going to really enjoy working with them.  the 1/2 oz. package swelled up to make the perfect amount for a dish of this size.  They are so easily hydrated and you also end up with that wonderful "mushroom water" that's created as they hydrate.  If you want more info on these little wonders of nature, go to MarxFoods to learn all about them.