5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces fresh porcini or cremini mushrooms, sliced thin, plus 4 mushrooms, thinly sliced
Salt
Pici pasta, cooked al dente, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, recipe follows
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves

Cooking Recipe:

Heat oil in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the salt and pasta with 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to the pan and toss quickly. Add the remaining 4 raw sliced mushrooms (a kind of fungus but is delicious when chosen properly and cooked the right way) and toss again, off heat. Serve immediately, topped with the grated cheese.

Pici Pasta:
2 cups semolina flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 to 1 1/4 cups tepid water

Place both types of flour in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the water a little at a time, stirring with your hands until a dough is formed. You may need more or less water, depending on the humidity in your kitchen.

Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead it like bread until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover the dough and let it stand for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Roll the douugh into long dowels about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. Place the pasta strands between 2 hands and lightly roll back and forth to create a lightly spiraled, snake-like noodle. Place the pici on a sheet tray that has been dusted with semolina flour, cover the pasta with a clean dish towel, and set aside until ready to use. At this point, the pasta can be frozen for several months.

Yield: 4 servings
Prreparation time: 30 minutes