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Mushrooms and spiced crushed pecans add a heartiness to this easy fettuccine pasta dish from Boston chef Michael Schlow. 

"My good friend Dr. William Li had put out 10 great things that we could eat right now to help build your immune system. There's 10 things on his; I'm going to try to use five."

"I'm going to make a pasta using mushrooms, tomatoes, some good extra-virgin olive oil ... garlic and an ingredient that I don't normally use in pastas — pecans — something that he was really pushing as a great snack and really good for your immune system." 

Plus, since pomegranate juice was on Dr. Li's immunity-boosting list, Chef Michael pairs this pasta dish with a pomegranate martini. 

"I said, 'Dr. Li, is it okay if we make it into pomegranate martinis? And he said, 'Michael, any way you can get your pomegranate on is okay by me.'" (Always drink responsibly, of course!)

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
  • Cayenne pepper
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 pinch fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 large pinch crushed red pepper
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Yield

Serves: 2

Preparation

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.

Season pecans with cayenne and salt. 

In a large saucepan, combine oil and garlic over high heat. When garlic starts to lightly brown, add rosemary, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken stock and reduce for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. 

Drop pasta into boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve a cupful of pasta cooking water, then drain and add pasta to sauce. 

Return saucepan to high heat and cook, tossing pasta with sauce, for 1 minute. Add cheese and toss again, adding some pasta cooking water to loosen, if needed. Divide among 2 bowls, garnish with more cheese and the chopped pecans.